Vicki Fourie is a pioneering South African filmmaker, writer, motivational speaker, and disability advocate. Despite living with 97% hearing loss, she has built a powerful career rooted in bold, authentic storytelling that highlights the experiences of people with disabilities—particularly from d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities.
Through her independent production company, Sacambaya Films, Vicki leads creative projects that challenge conventional narratives and push for greater inclusion within the arts and media landscape. Her resilience and determination shine through in both her personal journey and professional achievements. Relying on bilateral cochlear implants and expert lip-reading skills, Vicki has redefined what’s possible in an industry that too often overlooks the contributions of disabled creatives.
Vicki holds an Honours degree in Motion Picture Medium with a focus on Scriptwriting from AFDA, graduating with distinction and receiving the prestigious AFDA Gold Postgraduate Award for Scriptwriting. Her thesis, “A Forgotten Audience: Responses of d/Deaf Audiences to Films Depicting d/Deafness,” is a vital contribution to media studies, exploring how d/Deaf audiences engage with representations of d/Deafness in film. The results of this research include implications for screenwriters and filmmakers, culminating in a ten-step guide on how to implement more inclusive and accurate representation in media. This academic foundation continues to inform Vicki’s approach to inclusive storytelling.
As an actress, Vicki played the leading role in Kinders van Stilte—alongside Zane Meas and Antoinette Louw—in the Afrikaans stage adaptation of Children of a Lesser God. For the role, she learned South African Sign Language (SASL) for the first time, deepening her connection with Deaf culture and broadening her artistic range. She received the National Institute for the Deaf Actress Award for her role.
Vicki is also an accomplished author, with several published books, including God Lief My (Carpe Diem Media) and Viva la Vicki (Naledi Books). Her work has earned multiple accolades, such as the Tributes Excellence Award in Creative Arts, and the Cosmopolitan Fun Fearless Female Award, in recognition of her motivational speaking and advocacy for disability inclusion. In October 2025, she was the winner of two awards, the Mail & Guardian Power of Women Awards in the Arts, Film & Media category, and the Forty Under 40 Awards in the Disability Inclusion Honorary Award.
She has delivered over 200 motivational talks across schools, churches, and universities, where she speaks on themes of resilience, identity, and overcoming adversity. Her message continues to inspire audiences from all walks of life.
Vicki’s commitment to empowering others extends beyond her personal creative pursuits. She is the founder of The Creative Community, a writing school in Jeffrey’s Bay where she hosts workshops that equip adults with the skills to express themselves through various literary forms. She also founded the Jeffrey’s Bay School of Supernatural Ministry (JSSM), where she mentored students in spiritual and emotional growth.
In radio, she has contributed motivational content to both OFM (Bloemfontein) and Maluti FM (Bethlehem), expanding her message of purpose and hope through the airwaves.
In October 2025, Vicki was invited as a guest speaker at the first AFDA Alumni Reunion in Port Elizabeth, where she shared insights from her journey as a writer and filmmaker. She also spoke at the AFDA Open Day, inspiring prospective students with her story of creativity, resilience, and the power of authentic storytelling. She was also a guest speaker at the SACO Conference in November 2025, where she presented her research on deafness in film.
Vicki recently completed her debut professional short film, ThisAbility, which officially released its trailer and poster in May 2026 and is now beginning its international festival journey. The film, funded through grants from the NFVF (National Film & Video Foundation) and the ECDC (Eastern Cape Development Corporation), centres on a young Deaf woman navigating South Africa’s violent taxi underworld, while exploring themes of identity, accessibility, survival, and belonging.
In addition to writing, producing, and directing the film, Vicki also plays one of the leading roles — Patricia, a complex and morally ambiguous antagonist. In a pioneering approach to representation, the character’s identity is not defined by deafness; instead, Patricia is simply a powerful character who happens to be deaf. Vicki, who has bilateral cochlear implants, performs the role using spoken dialogue in the film, challenging traditional assumptions around deaf actors and the kinds of roles they are allowed to inhabit within contemporary cinema.
What sets Vicki apart is her unwavering dedication to using her voice—and platform—for meaningful change. By integrating her artistic talents with disability advocacy, she not only breaks barriers—she builds bridges. Her work amplifies the voices of the often unheard and promotes dignity, visibility, and representation across all forms of media.
Vicki Fourie’s life and career are a testament to the power of perseverance, purpose, and storytelling.