'Precious' Scores Big at Image Awards

The 41st NAACP Image Awards honored Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire with six awards on Friday night, where it was clearly the favorite to win in all of the motion picture categories. (Similarly, Tyler Perry's House of Payne swept most of the television categories.)

Gabourey Sidibe and Mo'Nique were awarded "Outstanding" actress and supporting actress, while director Lee Daniels and screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher were recognized with awards for their respective contributions. All four are also candidates for Oscars in the same category (Fletcher for Best Adapted Screenplay).

Precious was also awarded "Outstanding Motion Picture" and "Outstanding Independent Motion Picture." While it may have claimed numerous awards here, the film will have fiercer competition at the Oscars later in March, where it will be up against heavyweights like The Hurt Locker, Up in the Air, and Avatar.

The NAACP Image Awards recognize and celebrate the achievements of people of color in literature, television, film, and music.

(Image of screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher, winner for Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture)