UWM students are taking their work from the classroom to the big screen with the premiere of Heavy is the Crown at Milwaukee’s Oriental Theatre. The film will debut as part of Milwaukee Film’s third annual Dialogues Documentary Festival.
The newest feature from Doc|UWM, a documentary media center based in UWM’s Department of Film, Video, Animation, & New Genres (FVANG), follows activist Vaun Mayes as he tours Milwaukee’s North Side and works with residents to inspire change.
Doc|UWM director and faculty member Sean Kafer works with students to create narratives that impact audiences. Previously, he directed Brady Street: A Portrait of a Neighborhood, which sold out screenings at the 2025 Milwaukee Film Festival. He hopes Heavy is the Crown will open the door to new discussions.
“In a world where we have media telling us what we should think and telling us how we should feel, this film opens different conversations,” Kafer said. “I think if we keep adding conversations and giving people platforms to talk about the negatives and positives in our society, we grow as a greater whole.”
Alum Mackenzie Savin (BFA 2023, Film) was a sophomore when she first became involved with the project. After graduating, she continued working on the film as a producer.
“I started off as a student producer and eventually went on to be a producer,” Savin said. “When I was in undergrad, I put so much time and effort into this film and became so close with Vaun and the team that I wanted to see it to fruition.”
Savin sees the film as a testament to the resilience of Milwaukeeans, spotlighting how residents persevere in the face of adversity.
“It shows Milwaukee’s North Side and the lack of investment in this community and what the people living in these neighborhoods are doing to change that,” Savin said. “I think that we were able to show Milwaukee in a positive light for once. We see a lot of media and a lot of news coverage, and that overshadows the good things.”
Senior Antone Washington served as a student producer and one of the lead editors for the project. Heavy is the Crown marks a milestone in his career as the first film he has worked on to receive wider circulation.
“I think having a film shown at the Oriental, especially as a Milwaukee filmmaker, is super iconic,” Washington said. “I’m super excited to go and see the work that I did on the big screen. In my career so far, this will be the biggest distribution thing I’ve been a part of.”
Washington gained new perspectives through the relationships he built during filming and values the opportunity the project gave him to engage with the community.
“I hope that, at a base level, it will give audiences a glimpse into Black Milwaukee and show how Black people move throughout the city,” Washington said. “We show so many people and organizations that advocate not just for children but also adults. The film shows the positivity of the Black community in Milwaukee.”
Heavy is the Crown screens at the Oriental’s Abele Theatre on September 27 at 4:30 p.m. More information is available on Milwaukee Film’s website.
Story by Payton Murphy ’27 (BFA Film)