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Lisa Cortes produced Precious.

Precious

5 p.m., Oct. 15, Whitney Humanities Center, Yale University, 53 Wall St. 203-432-4131. Sold out.

Milford native Lisa Cortes majored in American Studies at Yale. But it wasn't until she went to work as an organizer for London's Artists Against Apartheid that she realized how to combine creativity with political engagement.

Her executive career in the music industry — starting at Def Jam Records and culminating with her own label, Loose Cannon — eventually led Cortes to producing movies, including director Lee Daniels' Shadowboxer and his new and noteworthy film, Precious.

Based on the novel Push by Sapphire, as its official title disclaims, Precious limns the life of an abused, obese, illiterate and pregnant Harlem high schooler looking for a way out of her unequivocally miserable circumstances.

Due for limited release on Nov. 6, the film has been racking up festival accolades (including awards from both the jury and audience at Sundance) and lots of Oscar buzz.

Cortes returns to Yale on Thursday to screen Precious.

Advocate: Tell us about your background.

Lisa Cortes: I was one of those kids every summer who got the sticker for reading the most books from the Milford Public Library. But I've also been lucky to spend a lot of time in Harlem with my family there. As a kid, you're in Connecticut, then you come to Harlem and it's hard. The old Harlem. Not the gentrified, pretty Harlem. I learned to find the poeticism in that. I'd be visiting my grandfather, sitting on the fire escape and just watching the world go by. Beauty comes from the most unexpected places. So I've always kind of enjoyed this dual country-city life.

A: How did the Precious movie come to pass?

LC: Twelve years ago [Push] was published. It seemed like everyone on the A train was reading this book with a red cover and big black block letters. I knew Sapphire's work as a spoken-word artist. I read this book, and I fell in love with it. But I wasn't making movies then. Simultaneously Lee, who wasn't making movies then, read it and fell in love with it, too. As we worked together, we talked about Push and how it haunted us. We invited Sapphire to see Shadowboxer, and when she saw it, she said, "You are not afraid. You make beautiful films, and go to raw places." Even though she had turned down Madonna and all these people, she trusted us.

A: So how do you do it?

LC: I'm very interested in people that we all pass by every day and don't really notice. We overlook people in the world who have such deep stories. I'm interested to hear their voices, and see how they move through their lives. It's like an Isaac Bashevis Singer story.

A: This one can be a little hard to watch.

LC: This is a hope-filled story. That's why this film was a political project. And it's a personal project. I know Precious, and I got a little bit of Precious in me, too.

A: What do you think it'll be like to come back and show a movie about the absence of privilege to a place so associated with privilege?

LC: Well, I certainly put myself through college. I worked in the dining hall. Not everyone who arrives there has a silver spoon. The universal aspect of Precious' character goes beyond being embraced by any one community. It's winning awards, because people are identifying with this film — it's a heartfelt experience that we all can relate to. It is great to bring this back — as an alum, and as an alum of color and I'm really happy to share it with the university community. I thank the character of New Haven and the culture of Yale for inspiring me.