Sundance top prizes go to 'Push' and 'Public'

Gabourey Sidibe of 'Push: Based on the novel by Sapphire'

Credit: Sundance

The Lee Daniels-directed drama "Push: Based on the novel by Saphire" was the big winner at the award ceremony culminating the end of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.

The story of a pregnant teen struggling to break free from cycles of poverty and ignorance, "Push" won both the Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the Dramatic Audience Award, a rare sweep. In addition, Mo'Nique, previously best known for more comic material, won a Special Jury Prize for her searing dramatic performance as the main character's fearsome welfare-swindling mother.

Other main juried Sundance prizes announced during Saturday's (Jan. 24) gala went to "We Live in Public" (Documentary), "The Maid" (World Cinema Dramatic) and "Rough Aunties" (World Cinema Documentary).

The other audience awards went to "The Cove" (Documentary), "An Education" (World Cinema Dramatic) and "Afghan Star" (World Cinema Documentary).

The complete list of Saturday's Sundance Film Festival award winners:

AUDIENCE AWARDS:

Audience Award, Dramatic: "Push"

Audience Award, Documentary: "The Cove"

World Cinema Audience Award, Dramatic: "An Education"

World Cinema Audience Award, Documentary: "Afghan Star"

JURY AWARDS:

Grand Jury Prize, Dramatic: "Push"

Grand Jury Prize, Documentary: "We Live in Public" 

World Cinema Jury Prize, Dramatic: "The Maid" 

World Cinema Jury Prize, Documentary: "Rough Aunties" 

World Cinema Special Jury Prize, Documentary: "Tibet in Song" 

World Cinema Special Jury Prize, Dramatic: Catalina Saavedra for "The Maid"

World Cinema Special Jury Prize for Originality: "Louise-Michel"

Special Jury Prize for Embodying Collaborative Spirit: "Humpday" 

Special Jury Prize for Acting, Dramatic: Mo'Nique for "Push"

Special Jury Prize, Documentary: "Good Hair"

Excellence in Cinematography, Dramatic: Adriano Goldman for "Sin Nombre"

Excellence in Cinematography, Documentary: Bob Richman for "The September Issue"

Excellence in Cinematography, Dramatic - World Cinema: John De Borman for "An Education"

Excellence in Cinematography, Documentary - World Cinema: John Maringouin for "Big River Man"

Waldo Scott Screenwriting Award: Nicholas Jasenovec and Charlyne Yi for "Paper Heart"

World Cinema Screenwriting Award: Guy Hibbert for "Five Minutes of Heaven"

Excellence in Directing, Dramatic: Cary Joji Fukunaga for "Sin Nombre"

Excellence in Directing, Documentary: Natalia Almada for "El General"

World Cinema Directing Award - Dramatic: Oliver Hirshbiegel for "Five Minutes of Heaven"

World Cinema Directing Award - Documentary: Havana Marking for "Afghan Star"

Excellence in Editing, Documentary: Karen Schmeer for "Sergio"

Excellence in Editing, Documentary - World Cinema: Janus Billeskov Jansen and Thomas Papapetros for "Burma VJ"

Catch up with HitFix's Sundance Film Festival Coverage.