Documenting the 30th anniversary of IFAS: Q&A with filmmaker Adam Heyns

As part of the 30th anniversary of the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), filmmaker Adam Heyns was tasked with capturing three decades of cultural exchange, collaboration, and impact. But rather than creating a traditional retrospective, Adam approached the project as a living, breathing portrait—one shaped by the voices of nearly 50 individuals across South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi.

Watch the 16-minute documentary film here:

In this Q&A, Adam shares insights into the creative choices behind the series, the spirit of IFAS as seen through the eyes of its collaborators, and the challenges of crafting an impact story that spans continents, generations, and artistic disciplines.

• What was your starting point creatively when approaching the IFAS 30th anniversary videos?

I knew from the start that we weren’t just making a retrospective—we were telling a living story. So rather than try to “sum up” 30 years, I focused on the people. The idea was to build the narrative around voices—those who’ve been touched by IFAS or helped shape its impact. That made it more than an institutional portrait; it became a mosaic of relationships.

• How did you go about capturing the spirit of IFAS through the different people and stories?

IFAS has a kind of quiet presence—you don’t always see it centre-stage, but its fingerprints are everywhere. I tried to reflect that in the tone of the interviews: warm, grounded, generous. We chose a diverse group of interviewees—artists, researchers, cultural workers—and let their stories lead. What emerged was a shared sense of depth, exchange, and long-term thinking. That, to me, is the spirit of IFAS.

• Was there a moment during filming that really stuck with you – something unexpected or especially moving?

There were a few moments during interviews where people got quite lyrical recalling their first ever trip to France—how it shifted their sense of self. It mirrored my own story in a way, because I also went to France on a cultural exchange years ago and it was life-changing. It reminded me how small opportunities can echo across decades.

• What were some of the challenges behind the scenes, and how did you work around them?

Coordinating 49 interviews across three cities with a small team and a tight timeline definitely tested our logistics. But I had an incredible team—Lali van Zuydam, Nico Welgemoed, Boipelo Tshabalala, Janke Bester—everyone brought their A-game. The biggest challenge was what to leave out. We had so many strong interviews that cutting it all down to 15 minutes felt borderline criminal.

• What do you hope people feel or take away after watching the series?

I hope they feel the depth of the relationships behind the work. IFAS doesn’t just fund projects or host events—it builds bridges. If viewers come away with a sense of continuity, generosity, and curiosity about the Francophone world, then I’ll be happy.