Precious wins big at NAACP awards

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Gritty movie Precious has swept the board at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's annual Image Awards in Los Angeles.

The film tells the story of the abused, illiterate Harlem teenager Precious, who is expecting her second child.

It won six awards including best movie, best independent movie and best actress for its star Gabourey Sidibe.

An emotional Sidibe dedicated her award to "all the Precious girls everywhere. This is for you."

Lee Daniels, who won best director, recalled how Hollywood studios repeatedly rejected the film. "No-one wanted to see a movie about a 350-pound black girl who is struggling and who has HIV," he said.

Mo'Nique, who plays Precious' mother, took best supporting actress just over a week before the Oscars, where she is hot favourite to win the same prize.

Precious, which is up for the Oscar for best picture, also features Mariah Carey as a dowdy social worker and Lenny Kravitz as a delivery room nurse.

Morgan Freeman was named best actor for playing former South African President Nelson Mandela in Invictus.

R&B singer Mary J Blige won music two awards, for best female artist and best album for Stronger With Each Tear.

Wyclef Jean was given the Vanguard Award for his role in raising funds and awareness after the earthquake in Haiti.