It’s very likely many have seen at least one 2009 best picture nominee, or maybe even the winner. And now that Cannes is only a memory, it’s time to shuffle through the possibilities before the onslaught of Venice, Telluride and Toronto speculation.

But it’s Lee Daniels’ Precious that might be the best positioned of all. The film roared out of Sundance with intense acclaim and major awards, only to be met with a slot in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard lineup, and a huge distribution deal with Lionsgate that involves Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey. Winfrey, it should be remembered, was credited with playing a little role in Crash‘s success at the Oscars – a film also released by Lionsgate. At this point, the film’s screenplay and Mo’Nique’s performance seem like givens, but perhaps it could push even further? It’s set for an early November release, following a similar strategy to what Slumdog used last year. It’s bound to be a crowd pleaser, and find some serious love from critics. If it manages to get a best picture nod, it would be the first film in history directed by an African-American to be nominated for best picture. And he’s openly gay to boot. Calling Precious a frontrunner for this kind of success seems extremely premature, but when factoring everything into its future, one can’t help but ponder the possibilities.

Source: IndieWire