- maysm@uwm.edu
- 414-510-3902
- Kenilworth Square East 471
- He / Him
Marquise Mays
- Assistant Professor, Film, Video, Animation and New Genres
Education
- MA, Cinema & Media Studies, University of Southern California, 2020
- BA, Journalism, UW-Madison, 2018
Biography
Marquise Mays is an award-winning filmmaker and professor. His research examines Black Midwestern life through film.
Marquise’s films are both an artistic practice and an act of community care. His primary research interest lies within short documentary production and visual ethnography. His films center the lives, traditions and cultures of Black Midwesterners. His perspective examines our relationships to places, systems, self, and family. His award-winning short film, THE HEARTLAND, confronted the city of Milwaukee and it's treatment of Black youth. In his short film, HOME IMPROVEMENT, he captures his father’s lonely wisdom during a home repair. In the PBS film, BLACK STRINGS, Marquise follows a violin ensemble as they respond to gun violence. Selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences, BLACK STRINGS was a honoree at the 2024 Webby Awards. Marquise's next film MONIKERS examines the power of nicknames in the Black community. Premiering in 2026, MONIKERS is in partnership with ITVS & PBS Digital Studios.
His films have appeared on the Criterion Channel, PBS, BET, and in festivals globally, including the March On Washington Film Festival; Minnesota St. Paul International Film Festival; Cleveland International Film Festival; Cucalorus Film Festival; Atlanta Film Festival; Palm Springs International Shorts Fest; Rhode Island International Film Festival; Milwaukee Film Festival; Roxbury International Film Festival; New York City Independent Film Festival; Indy Film Fest. In 2025 he was selected as a Wyncote Fellow by the International Documentary Association.
As a former festival programmer with Milwaukee Film, he was the lead film curator of Black Lens. He also served as a Jury Member & Panelist for the National Endowment of the Arts Council. Marquise's research goal is to build a cinematic library of Black Midwestern life.
His current research is a series of micro-documentaries. This work-in-progress details the contemporary life and circumstance of Black Milwaukeeans. He has a goal to collect, edit and produce 60 micro-docs within the span of one year. This is a visual ethnographic study focused on the rituals, languages, and practices of the Black community in Milwaukee. This research hopes to interrogate the contemporary impact of the Great Migration.
With a focus on film, education, and cultural preservation, Marquise is dedicated to telling stories that remind us of who we are and who we can be.
Recent & Selected Works
Artistic Works & Performances
- The Heartland. Directed by Marquise Mays, LIFE IS A MAYS, LLC, 2022.
- Black Strings. Directed by Marquise Mays, LIFE IS A MAYS, LLC, FIRELIGHT MEDIA, 2023.
- Home Improvement. Directed by Marquise Mays, LIFE IS A MAYS, LLC, 2025.
Awards
- 2024 International Academy of Digital Arts & Science, Video / Music, Webby Honoree (Black Strings)
- 2024 Department of Film, Video, Animation & New Genres, Heil Foundation Award
- 2023 Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning, Teaching Excellence Award
- 2023 March on Washington Film Festival, Special Mention, Emerging Documentary Award (Black Strings)
- 2023 Minnesota St. Paul International Film Festival, Best Short Documentary Award (Black Strings)
- 2023 Cleveland International Film Festival, Best Black Short Cinema Award (Black Strings)
- 2021 Rhode Island International Film Festival, First Prize Flickers’ International Humanitarian Award (The Heartland)
- 2021 Milwaukee Film Festival, Cream City Cinema Jury Award (The Heartland)
- 2021 Milwaukee International Short Film Festival, Best Director Jury Award (Blindspot)