Consuming Spirits
World Premiere

Consuming Spirits

Viewpoints
| USA | 135 MINUTES | English
Animation
Nearly 15 years in the making, Chris Sullivan's Consuming Spirits is a meticulously constructed tour de force of experimental animation. Shooting frame by frame in 16mm, Sullivan seamlessly blends together a range of techniques—cutout animation, pencil drawing, collage, and stop-motion animation—into a distinct, signature visual style. In the process, he constructs a hypnotic, layered narrative, a suspenseful gothic tale that tracks the intertwined lives of three kindred spirits working at a local newspaper in a Midwestern rust belt town.

The pacing of Consuming Spirits unfolds in a slow, deliberate fashion, akin to the work of such independent filmmakers as Dennis Potter, Terence Davies, Robert Altman, and John Cassavetes. Like these live-action filmmakers, every frame of Sullivan's animation film is crafted with attention to intricate detail. The accumulation of these images builds to a great atmospheric effect, achieved through an adroit combination of inventive set design, ever-shifting visual perspectives, fluid camera movements, a vivid color palette, and a haunting music track. Sullivan succeeds in creating, with great artistry, a hermetic, self-contained world emanating from his own unique and vivid imagination.

Cast & Credits
Directed by
Chris Sullivan
Chris Sullivan has been creating films and performance work for the last 30 years. His films have shown internationally. Consuming Spirits was funded by the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation. It was instrumental in Sullivan being awarded a 2012 Creative Capital Grant.
Editor
Chris Sullivan
Assistant Animators
Ronald Williams, Song-E Kim, Brooke McMahon, Lilli Carre, Kyle Crozier, Sean Buckelew, Paul Demers, Joseph Meredith
Executive Producer
Chris Sullivan
Producer
Chris Sullivan
Director
Chris Sullivan
Co-Producer
Chris Sullivan
Associate Producer
Chris Sullivan
Sound Design
Chris Sullivan
Production Designer
Chris Sullivan
Director of Photography
Chris Sullivan
Composer
Chris Sullivan
Screenwriter
Chris Sullivan
Lead Animators
Chris Sullivan, Corinne Faiella, Shelley Dodson
Primary Cast
Robert Levy, Nancy Andrews, Chris Sullivan, Chris Harris, Judith Rafael, Mary Lou Zelazny

Contacts
Sales Agent
Chris Sullivan
Consuming Spirits
School of The Art Institute of Chicago 112 South Michigan Chicago, Il 60603
Phone: 773 817 7168
csulli@saic.edu
* Rush Tickets available at venue except for
Beacon Theatre
Rush will be offered when advanced tickets for a screening or event are no longer available at venues other than Beacon Theatre.
The Rush system functions as a standby line that will form at the venue approximately one hour prior to scheduled start time. Admittance is based on availability and will begin roughly 10 minutes prior to program start time. Rush Tickets are the same price as advance tickets and are payable upon entry.

Newsletter

Subscribe for festival news, exclusive offers, programming updates, and more!
Get Festival Updates

Tribeca Festival Partners

Presenting Partner
Signature Partners
Presenting Partner
Signature Partners
Presenting Partner
Signature Partners
Presenting Partner
Supporters
Presenting Partner
Friends of the Festival
Presenting Partner
Media Friends of the Festival
Presenting Partner
Media Friends of the Festival
Presenting Partner
Industry Partners
See all partners