Newcomer Gabourey Sidibe has won praise for her turn as the title character in Precious: Based On The Novel Push by Sapphire. Newcomer Gabourey Sidibe has won praise for her turn as the title character in Precious: Based On The Novel Push by Sapphire. (TIFF) Lee Daniels's harrowing coming-of-age drama Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire has picked up another accolade as it expands into theatres across North America.

The Producers Guild of America has awarded the Harlem-set film its Stanley Kramer Award. Established in 2002, the prize honours a production, studio, executive, producer or network for work that "sheds light on provocative social issues in a constructive way."

Past recipients have included Milk, An Inconvenient Truth, Hotel Rwanda and Good Night, and Good Luck.

The film's producers will receive the honour at the guild's upcoming annual awards gala, slated for Jan. 24 at the Hollywood Palladium.

Starring newcomer Gabourey Sidibe in the title role, Precious explores the dark existence of an obese, illiterate teen pregnant for the second time by incest and physically abused by her impoverished mother. Sidibe's character is offered a chance at escape when she is offered a place in an alternative school.

Along with accolades for Sidibe — who makes her performance debut in Precious — the film has won praise for brash comedian Mo'Nique, who plays against type in her shocking turn as Precious's mother. Performances by co-stars Paula Patton and Mariah Carey have also been commended.

Precious made a splash in January with its debut at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, where it won a trio of awards and attracted the attention of media mogul Oprah Winfrey and filmmaker Tyler Perry, who came on board as executive producers to help publicize the film.

In September, Precious also picked up the Toronto International Film Festival's coveted People's Choice Award — a prize that has helped gained films recognition on year-end lists and movie honours such as the Oscars. Past TIFF People's Choice winners have included Slumdog Millionaire, Eastern Promises, Hotel Rwanda, Amélie and American Beauty.

Precious, which made its debut in select U.S. theatres in earlier this month, is gradually gaining wider release. It opens in Toronto on Friday and expands across Canada on Nov. 27.