Back in May, I was in the media for receiving my NFVF grant — and life has been a whirlwind ever since.
Over the past few months, I’ve had twelve meetings with five different production crews:
New Ending Media (Pretoria), Galaxy Castings (Humansdorp), Red Creative Collab (Jeffrey’s Bay), Louis Cloete Productions (Pretoria) & Straatkat Media (Pretoria).
While each team brought something special to the table, my heart is really set on making this first film here in Jeffrey’s Bay. It’s my debut project, and I want to keep it simple yet meaningful. In the end, I’ve decided to go with Red Creative Collab — and we’ll start production (shooting) this October.
A huge thank you to all the crews who met with me. I truly hope to work with each of you in the future — I have so many more productions in mind across television, film, and theatre.
We’re now moving into the casting and location scouting phase — with rehearsals around the corner.
Meanwhile, I’ve been on a roll with more applications — seven submissions alongside all the production crew meetings:
📻 Radio drama: Submitted my original Afrikaans script for the 29th annual RSG Radiodrama Writing Competition.
📽️ Netflix Abstract: Based on my Honours research A Forgotten Audience: Responses of d/Deaf Audiences to Films Depicting d/Deafness, exploring more authentic and inclusive onscreen representation.
📚 AFARise Fellowship: To develop ThisAbility’s social impact strategy, plus two nonfiction books (a memoir and a book of essays), submitted alongside the film to support my multidisciplinary storytelling and disability advocacy.
🎬 TV Series: Funding application to the Next Narrative Africa Fund for a television series which has elements of magical realism led by a deaf protagonist.
📖 Memoir Proposal: Submitted to the Miles Morland Writing Scholarship — my new memoir explores navigating deafness, identity, and resilience in South Africa.
📽️ Short Film Proposal: Submitted to the Fujifilm GFX Challenge Grant Program 2025 for another television series concept, a deaf-centered thriller exploring power, silence, and survival at a glamorous birthday party.
🎬 African Union Media Fellowship: Application featuring my pitch on emerging disability filmmakers in Africa and my own journey as an emerging disabled filmmaker — spotlighting inclusion, representation, and creative empowerment within the continent’s growing creative industries.
And there’s more good news:
🏆 I was chosen as a finalist for the Forty under 40 Awards
📄 My abstract was selected for presentation at the SACO Conference this November in Cape Town
📽️ My Honours research A Forgotten Audience: Responses of d/Deaf Audiences to Films Depicting d/Deafness has been chosen for the Netflix symposium that will take place in 2026.
It’s been three months of big steps, new opportunities, and plenty of coffee — and we’re just getting started. October’s filming date is coming fast!
