‘Push’ sweeps at Sundance

It had become quite clear over the past few days that Lee Daniels’ sophomore feature “Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire” was one of the few titles raising pulses at a very quiet Sundance Film Festival. The film, a hard-hitting urban tale of an African-American teenager overcoming merciless parental abuse in 1980’s Harlem, has received breathless critical notices across the board, with Variety declaring it “a diamond – clear, bright, but oh so hard.”

So hardly anyone is surprised that the film cleaned up at yesterday’s Sundance Awards, nabbing both the Grand Jury and Audience Prizes in the U.S. dramatic competition — only the third film ever to achieve that double. It also received a Special Jury Prize for the performance of Mo’Nique as the protagonist’s monstrously neglectful mother.

Sundance Awards have a spotty record of indicating future success: looking down the list of previous Grand Jury Prize winners, for every “You Can Count on Me” or “Frozen River” that rides its momentum all the way to Oscar night a whole year later, there’s a “Quinceanera” or “Forty Shades of Blue” that pretty much sinks without trace. “Push” certainly sounds like a tough sell for future awards attention, but if the critical championing continues, it’s hard to predict what might be in store.

One winner we seem increasingly likely to hear more about as the year progresses is Lone Scherfig’s British charmer “An Education,” which inspired a heated bidding contest between specialty studios, and last night landed the Audience Award in the world dramatic competition, as well as a gong for cinematographer John De Borman. (Check out Todd McCarthy’s unabashed rave for the film here – we haven’t seen too many of those lately.)

Meanwhile, the jury’s choice in the world dramatic section was Chilean class-themed comedy “The Maid,” while directing and screenwriting honours went to Oliver Hirschbiegel’s “Five Minutes of Heaven,” a study of political conflict in 1970’s Northen Ireland headlined by Liam Neeson. After the disaster that was Hirschbiegel’s first English-language effort, “The Invasion,” it’s nice to see the “Downfall” director getting back on track.

A full list of the (many) feature awards dished out is below the cut. For more details, check out Variety’s report here.

GRAND JURY PRIZE: U.S. DOCUMENTARY
“We Live in Public”

GRAND JURY PRIZE: U.S. DRAMATIC
“Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire”

WORLD CINEMA JURY PRIZE: DOCUMENTARY
“Rough Aunties”

WORLD CINEMA JURY PRIZE: DRAMATIC
“The Maid” (“La Nana”)

AUDIENCE AWARD: U.S. DOCUMENTARY
“The Cove”

AUDIENCE AWARD: U.S. DRAMATIC
“Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire”

WORLD CINEMA AUDIENCE AWARD: DOCUMENTARY
“Afghan Star”

WORLD CINEMA AUDIENCE AWARD: DRAMATIC
“An Education”

DIRECTING AWARD: U.S. DOCUMENTARY
“El General” Natalia Almada

DIRECTING AWARD: U.S. DRAMATIC
“Sin Nombre,” Cary Joji Fukunaga

WORLD CINEMA DIRECTING AWARD: DOCUMENTARY
“Afghan Star,” Havana Marking

WORLD CINEMA DIRECTING AWARD: DRAMATIC
“Five Minutes of Heaven,” Oliver Hirschbiegel

WALDO SALT SCREENWRITING AWARD
“Paper Heart,” Nicholas Jasenovec and Charlyne Yi

WORLD CINEMA SCREENWRITING AWARD
“Five Minutes of Heaven,” Guy Hibbert

U.S. DOCUMENTARY EDITING AWARD
“Sergio,” Karen Schmeer

WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY EDITING AWARD
“Burma VJ,” Janus Billeskov Jansen and Thomas Papapetros

EXCELLENCE IN CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD: U.S. DOCUMENTARY
“The September Issue,” Bob Richman

EXCELLENCE IN CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD: U.S. DRAMATIC
“Sin Nombre,” Adriano Goldman.

WORLD CINEMA CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD: DOCUMENTARY
“Big River Man,” John Maringouin

WORLD CINEMA CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD: DRAMATIC
“An Education,” John De Borman

WORLD CINEMA SPECIAL JURY PRIZE FOR ORIGINALITY
“Louise-Michel”

WORLD CINEMA SPECIAL JURY PRIZE: DOCUMENTARY
“Tibet in Song”

WORLD CINEMA SPECIAL JURY PRIZE FOR ACTING
Catalina Saavedra, “The Maid” (“La Nana”)

SPECIAL JURY PRIZE: U.S. DOCUMENTARY
“Good Hair”

SPECIAL JURY PRIZE FOR SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE
“Humpday”

SPECIAL JURY PRIZE FOR ACTING
Mo’Nique, “Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire”