{{Short description|South African actress, director and filmmaker}} {{Use South African English|date=May 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Katinka Heyns | birth_date = 20 September 1947 | citizenship = South African | alma_mater = University of Pretoria | occupation = Actress<br>Director<br>Filmmaker | years_active = 1969–present | known_for = Feminist perspectives in her films | notable_works = Paljas | spouse = Chris Barnard | children = 2 }} '''Katinka Heyns''' (born 20 September 1947) is a South African actress, director and filmmaker in the South African film industry. She is known for including feminist perspectives in her films, as well as for commenting on South African politics and culture. Her work includes the film ''Paljas'' which was selected as the South African entry, but eventually not nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 70th Academy Awards.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Botha|first=Martin P.|title=The Cinema of Katinka Heyns|url=http://www.kinema.uwaterloo.ca/article.php?id=575&feature|journal=Kinema|volume=Spring 2015|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020220515/http://www.kinema.uwaterloo.ca/article.php?id=575&feature|archivedate=2016-10-20}}</ref>
==Biography== Katinka Heyns was born on 20 September 1947.<ref name=":0" /> She attended the University of Pretoria in South Africa and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in drama.<ref name=":0" /> Heyns was married to filmmaker Koos Roets, and their son, Reghard Roets was born in 1973. She married writer Chris Barnard in 1978, with whom she has a son, Simon Barnard.<ref name=":1" />
==Career== She began her career as an actor playing 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).<ref name=":0" /> 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.<ref name=":0" /> Heyns founded the production company Sonneblom Films in 1974. 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.<ref name=":0" /> Her feature films include: ''Fiela se Kind'' (1987), ''Die Storie van Klara Viljee'' (1991), ''Paljas'' (1997), and ''Die Wonderwerker'' (2012).<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last=Botha|first=Martin P.|title=South African Cinema|url=http://www.kinema.uwaterloo.ca/article.php?id=46&feature|journal=Kinema|volume=Spring 2006|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161108200548/http://www.kinema.uwaterloo.ca/article.php?id=46&feature|archivedate=2016-11-08}}</ref>
===Film style=== Heyns has been influenced heavily by filmmaker Jans Rautenbach who gave her a start for her career in film.<ref name=":0" /> In an industry dominated by male filmmakers, Heyns consistently creates films that focus on female empowerment and specifically female experiences.<ref name=":2" /> 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.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Encountering Modernity: Twentieth Century South African Cinemas|last=Tomaselli|first=Keyan G.|publisher=UNISA Press|year=2006|location=Rozenberg|pages=11–178}}</ref> 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.<ref name=":0" /> All of Heyns' pieces evoke themes of relationships, love, and struggle, while simultaneously questioning gender representations in South African culture.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title=Women Filmmakers: Refocusing|last=Marx|first=Lesley|publisher=Routledge|year=2003|editor-last=Levitin|editor-first=Jacqueline|location=Great Britain|pages=330–341|editor-last2=Plessis|editor-first2=Judith|editor-last3=Raoul|editor-first3=Valerie}}</ref> 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.<ref name=":0" />
==Filmography== {| class="wikitable" !Year !Work !Role(s) |- |''Katrina'' |1969 |Actress |- |''Jannie Totsiens'' |1970 |Actress |- |''Pappalap'' |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 |- |Die Wonderwerker |2012 |Director |}
==Awards and nominations== * The film ''Eendag op 'n Reendag'' (1975) won the ''Rapport'' Oscar for Best Actress <ref name=":0" /> * The South African Academy of Arts and Science Medal of Honour.<ref name=":0" /> * Received the Legendary Award for Women in Film and Television at the International Crystal Awards.<ref name=":0" /> * Honorary doctorate from the University of Pretoria, for her contributions to dramatic arts.<ref name=":0" /> * Selected to be the South African entry for an Academy Award for the category of Best Foreign Language Film for her film ''Paljas'' (1997). Eventually it was not nominated for the award. It was the first time a South African film had been entered in such a division.<ref name=":0" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Heyns, Katinka}} Category:1947 births Category:Living people Category:Feminist filmmakers Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:South African film actresses Category:South African film directors Category:University of Pretoria alumni