Sue Vicory

Sue Vicory is an American director, producer, and filmmaker. She is a six-time Emmy Award nominee and a seven-time Telly Award winner, and the founder of the nonprofit production company Heartland Films, Inc.

Early life Vicory was born in DeKalb, Illinois and grew up in the Midwestern United States. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Washburn University and a master’s degree in Computer Resource Management from Webster University.

Career

Business career In 1987, Vicory joined her family business, W. F. Norman Corporation in Nevada, Missouri, serving as co-owner and vice president of the company, which was founded in 1898.

Film career Vicory entered filmmaking in 2002 after attending the New York Film Academy.

In 2003, she founded Heartland Films, Inc., focusing on community-based and socially engaged projects.

Vicory directed and produced the feature documentary Kansas City Jazz & Blues: Past, Present & Future, which premiered at the Gem Theater and later aired on KCPT and KTWU. She also released 1898: The W. F. Norman Story, documenting her family’s historic manufacturing company.

Her feature documentary One explored themes of global humanity and personal impact and won a Telly Award. In the same year, she completed the narrative short Absent, which won an audience award at its San Diego premiere and later received a Telly Award. She also produced the pilot for the web series My Power of One and later directed the eight-part series Finding Freedom Within.

She served as an associate producer on the reality television series Win Place Show, which aired on TVG Network.

Her feature documentary Original Jayhawker premiered in 2021, was nominated for an Emmy Award, won a Telly Award in 2022, and raised more than $30,000 for a community splash-park project at its premiere. The film later aired on KTWU and Kansas City PBS.

Vicory has also executive produced and co-produced a range of narrative, documentary, and music-related projects, including Panic at Parq, The Last Butterflies, Cultivating Kindness (Telly Award winner), and the feature documentary A Beautiful Place, which is in post-production.

Vicory received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Washburn University, and the San Diego Film Awards established the Sue Vicory Women in Film Award in her honor.

Personal life Vicory married her college fellow, Jay, in 1978. They have two daughters and one grandson. She is a longtime runner and has completed three marathons. Vicory and her husband live in Overland Park, Kansas, on a farm that includes a small vineyard.

Filmography