Precious Breaks Box Office Records in the U.S.

For immediate release

Precious Breaks Box Office Records in the U.S.

Oscar hopeful PRECIOUS was a hit with U.S. audiences on opening weekend, taking an astounding $1.8 million from 18 screens for a record-breaking $100,000 screen average.

PRECIOUS now holds the box office record for the highest single day screen average for a film released on 20 prints or less, as well as the highest opening weekend gross of any film debuting on 50 screens or less. The latter, a record previously held by THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT which grossed $1.51 million on 27 screens in July, 1999.

As a result of its early box office success, PRECIOUS will expand in cinemas across the U.S. this week.

PRECIOUS, based on the novel by Sapphire, is the kind of story that is rarely told, about a character who society usually writes off, judges as a statistic, or simply ignores. Directed by Lee Daniels, PRECIOUS is set in Harlem and tells the story of an overweight, illiterate teen who pregnant with her second child, is invited to enrol in an alternative school in the hope that her life can head in a new direction.

Critics and audiences have been equally enamoured of PRECIOUS, with the film already receiving several accolades including winner of the Grand Jury Prize (Dramatic) at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, and winner of the Audience Award at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival.

Executive produced by Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry, PRECIOUS stars Gabourey Sidibe, Lenny Kravitz, Mariah Carey, Paula Patton and Mo’Nique, and will release in cinemas across New Zealand in April 2010.

ENDS