The talented animator Michael Sporn has fashioned two short films about urban African-American youth whose lives are rejuvenated by hope and the power of positive thinking. One is based on a Creole folk tale and the other unspools as an animated documentary.
Danny Glover narrates The Talking Eggs set in a city after an ice storm. Selina is a dutiful daughter who lives with her brother and working mother. After helping out a mysterious old woman who lives near the railroad tracks, Selina is rewarded with a gift of three magical eggs. This encounter buoys up her self-esteem and her dreams about the future.
Sporn's film Champagne is the winner of ten major awards including "Best Animated Film" and "Best Family Film" at the USA Film Festival. It is based on the true story of a 14-year-old girl who finds herself living in a home for children run by an order of nuns. In an interview, Champagne recounts her nightmarish childhood and her reunion with her mother who is in prison. The message of the inspiring film is that resilient souls can overcome many difficulties if they cling courageously to a positive way of viewing life.