"Fruitvale" Sundance hit first footage revealed (video)

 January 29, 2013 - 17:03 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The first clips of Sundance-winning film "Fruitvale" have been dropped online. Presented in between Amy Goodman's interview with director Ryan Coogler for DemocracyNow.org, the clips are packed with touching scenes involving Michael B. Jordan's performance as real-life figure Oscar Grant, AceShowbiz said.

The first sneak peek (comes at the 1:26 mark) sees a casual conversation between Jordan and Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer. While seemingly washing the dish, she asks him about what's his plan for New Year's Eve. Jordan replies to his on-screen mother that he has "nothing major" to do for the night, but just casually meet up with his "fellas" and "head out to the city."

Meanwhile, the other snippet (at 5:31 mark) sees a more dramatic scene where Jordan as Oscar Grant has an intimate conversation with his little daughter for the last time before he's killed during the New Year's Eve in 2008. Unaware of the impending incident, he kisses his daughter good night, but the little girl begs him not to go. "No... don't go. I'm scared," she says. "I hear guns outside."

"Fruitvale" is based on a true-life police shooting of Oscar Grant, a young Bay Area resident who was detained and killed by BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) cops in Oakland on New Year's Eve in 2008. Event was captured on camera, and the ensuing trial and its verdict spurred protests and riots.

The movie garnered critical acclaims at recent Sundance Film Festival. It was named the winner of the prestigious Grand Jury Prize at the festival in addition to claiming the Audience Award. The film was highly praised by juror Tom Rothman, who gushed that "this will not be the last time you guys walk to a podium" when handing out the Grand Jury award.

The pic was bought by The Weinstein company at the Utah festival for a reported $2.5 million.