"Speaking of 2010 contenders, with Sundance behind us and South By Southwest announcing its lineup today we're wondering where the next "Precious" is coming from. Distributors should look no further than a 2009 Toronto Fest entry, "Down for Life"  which was profiled in the Times back in September and could be called a cross between "Precious" and "Boyz 'N The Hood," two films that gained strong traction with Oscar. This actually should be called "Girlz 'N The Hood" as it is the true story of a young Latina gang member who uses her gift for poetry to find a way out of a dead-end life. Although the cast includes Danny Glover and Snoop Dogg, it is mostly comprised of L.A. based non-actors led by Jessica Romero who could become next award season's Gabourey Sidibe".

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