Hope, Small but Strong

On 'Champagne' by Michael Sporn.

A cel setup from Champagne (1996)

Welcome back! In this issue of the Animation Obsessive newsletter, we’re looking at a powerful animated documentary: Michael Sporn’s Champagne (1996).

The success of Flee (2021), nominated for three Oscars, has brought attention to animated docs in recent times. That’s good news — they’ve been around for decades, but they’re still an underrated art form. Champagne is among the greats in the style.

In this film, we hear from Champagne Saltes, a 14-year-old girl from New York City. She’s being raised by nuns — her mother is in prison for killing someone.¹ Champagne doesn’t sugarcoat the story of her life, which is harrowing, but she’s upbeat and optimistic about her future. She looks for the good in things. It’s an inspiring, emotional and unsentimental piece.

And, back in the ‘90s, not many American animators besides Sporn would’ve tried to make it. He was a quiet force in East Coast animation — behind classics like Abel’s Island (1988) and the Oscar-nominated Doctor De Soto (1984). Sporn had come up at the Hubley Studio in the ‘70s, and he carried that spirit into films like Champagne, using innovative visuals and stories beyond the cartoon norm.

This film was a passion project for him, which he self-funded. Today, we’re seeing how it came about, and how Sporn and his small team made it a reality.

Here we go!