| Intro | South African actress |
| Is | Actor |
| From | South Africa |
| Type | Film, TV, Stage & Radio |
| Gender | female |
Katinka Heyns (born January 1, 1947) is a South African actress and filmmaker. She has worked as both an actress and director in the South African film industry. She is known for including feminist perspectives in her films, as well as commenting on South African politics and culture. Her work includes the film Paljas which was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 70th Academy Awards.
Biography
Katinka Heyns was born on January 1, 1947. She attended the University of Pretoria in South Africa and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in drama. Heyns is married to writer Chris Barnard, with whom she has a son, Simon Barnard. Heyns’ son was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which influenced the making of her movie Living with Bipolar Disorder made in 2009 in order to outline the personal struggle of having to deal with mental illness.
Career
Heyns started out in acting when she played a part in Jans Rautenbach’s Katrina (1969). She went on to be cast in several of Rautenbach’s films, including Janie Totsiens (1970), Pappa Lap (1971), and Eendag op ‘n Reendag (1975). She also received a lot of attention for her role in Manie van Rensburg’s television comedy series Willem.
Due to the apartheid policy in South Africa at the time, there were severe censorship laws in place. However, Heyns was still able to make documentaries about various literary individuals. The production company Sonneblom Films was founded in 1974 by Heyns. It was through this company she was able to create feature films unique to her particular style. All the scripts for her feature films were written by her husband Chris Barnard. Her feature films include: Fiela se Kind (1987), Die Storie van Klara Viljee (1991), Paljas (1997), and Die Wonderwerker (2012).
Film style
Heyns has been influenced heavily by filmmaker Jans Rautenbach as he gave her the start of her career in film. In an industry dominated by male filmmakers Heyns consistently creates films that focus on female empowerment, and specifically female experiences. Keyan G. Tomaselli, a professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal notes how Heyns’ films are able to comment on the political climate in South Africa, by applying a feminist lens. Her films attempt to portray political and cultural experiences that are specific to South Africa, while other directors of her time focused on reproducing American style films. All of Heyns’ pieces evoke themes of relationships, love, and struggle, while simultaneously questioning gender representations in South African culture. Through her films, Heyns tries to bring lesser known issues and ideas into the global conversation, such as mental illness and female empowerment, while consistently doing so in the context of South African culture.
Filmography
| Year | Work | Role(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Katrina | 1969 | Actress |
| Janie Totsiens | 1970 | Actress |
| Papa Lap: ‘n Verhaal Van ‘n Pa en sy Dogter | 1971 | Actress |
| Eendag op ‘n Reendag | 1975 | Actress |
| Fiela Se Kind | 1988 | Director |
| Die Storie Van Klara Viljee | 1992 | Director |
| Paljas | 1998 | Director |
| Feast of the Uninvited | 2008 | Director |
| Living with Bipolar Disorder | 2009 | Director |
Awards and nominations
- The film Eendag op ‘n Reendag (1975) won the Rapport Oscar for Best Actress
- The South African Academy of Arts and Science Medal of Honour.
- Received the Legendary Award for Women in Film and Television at the International Crystal Awards.
- Holds a honorary doctorate from the University of Pretoria, for her contributions to dramatic arts.
- Nominated for an Academy Award for the category of Best Foreign Language Film for her film Paljas (1997). It was the first time a South African film had been entered in such a division.
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