Sean Kafer

Education

• MFA, Film, UW-Milwaukee
• BFA, Film, UW-Milwaukee

Biography

Sean Kafer is a filmmaker, Program Director of doc|UWM, and Teaching Faculty II in the Department of Film, Video, Animation, and New Genres at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. His work is rooted in documentary practice, with additional engagement in experimental film, video installation, and photography. His creative and pedagogical work frequently addresses pressing social and environmental issues, emphasizing collaborative and community-engaged production.

Kafer recently completed a historical documentary focused on Milwaukee’s Brady Street neighborhood, a project that provided students with hands-on professional production experience. He also directed the feature-length documentary Heavy is the Crown, which follows Milwaukee community activist and violence interrupter Vaun Mayes as he works alongside individuals and neighborhoods most affected by cycles of violence, systemic neglect, and contested approaches to policing. The film examines what it means to care for a city from the inside out, foregrounding the resilience and forms of care that sustain communities from within.

Currently, Kafer is in production on an experimental documentary exploring the prehistoric Lake Sturgeon, with a focus on its ecological significance and cultural connections. His broader body of work has included collaborations with community and advocacy organizations, including a project with the American Civil Liberties Union documenting the experiences of incarcerated mothers denied visitation with their infants. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Film from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.

Curriculum Vitae, CV (PDF)

Recent & Selected Work