Xhanfize Keko, from Albania who is the director of the film “Tomka and his friends” is ranked among dozens of women like Binka Zhelyazkova, Larisa Shepitko, Kira Muratova Vera Chytilová, Wanda Jakubowska, Dinara Asanova, Yuliya Solntseva, Malvina Ursianu, Márta Mészáros, Drahomira Vihanovha, Vgara Verava.

Irish director Mark Cousins ​​in the documentary entitled “Women Make Film” has selected directors from around the world who have made successful films. He has included women from almost all countries of the world, including Albania.

In his documentary, he says that women have taken the lead in making films that have been successful and continue to be seen today. In the journey through female cinematography, Mark Cousins ​​stops at the film directed by Xhanfize Keko, “Tomka and his Friends”, the first woman director in Albania and pioneer of children’s film.

The documentary “Women Make Film” is exactly the way it draws attention to the Iron Curtain, which tells the story of the miracle of films only through the female eye. He only uses the work of women and elevates it to the status of masterpiece.

“Women Make Film” is a political statement about how female filmmakers are ignored in our misogynistic world. The director also dwells on the way directors portray the inside, the existential, love, death, songs and dances. Mark Cousins in his documentary makes attempts to evaluate their choices, however unusual, giving viewers even the tools to do so.

But who is Xhanfize Keko?

Xhanfize Keko was a great director of the twentieth century. She was the first director of the Albanian children’s film and has been assessed as the pioneer of that movie genre. Keko is also the first female filmmaker in Albania, a brief memoir of her was given by her son Ilir Keko. She was born on January 27, 1928 in Gjirokastra, where for 13 years, until 1984, Keko managed to produce 12 feature-length films, but also with educational value. In 1984, Keko was honored with the title of “People’s Artist”. She grabbed the first prize in the First Film Festival for the movie “Ben walks on his own” in 1976. Xhanfize Keko is also the director of many films, such as: “Taulanti wants a sister”, “Shooting a movie”, “Little Partizan Velo”, “Tomka and his friends”, “War Sounds”, “Beni walks on his own”, “ Spoiled Mimosa” etc.

/Klara Ruci/