The international journey of director Xhanfise Keko’s films continues around the world, as does the respect for her individuality and artistic personality.

Children’s films by director Xhanfise Keko are showing in Spanish cinemas.

The cinema in Spain offers viewers four of its most famous films: “Tomka and his friends”, “Ben walks on his own”, “Mimosa llastica” and “Taulanti wants a sister”.

The Albanian director with her films is among prominent names such as Jean Vigo, François Truffaut or Abbas Kiarostami.

The Spaniards consider her an extraordinary author of eleven feature films made from 1972 to 1984 in Albania, where they all deal with the challenges, disappointments and aspirations of childhood. With unusual sensitivity, Keko portrays the child’s world and vision, placing desires and psychology at the center. All this means understanding childhood not as a transitional phase towards another age, but as a period in itself, respecting the autonomy of boys and girls defined by the philosopher of pedagogy René Schérer.

After nearly 20 years of experience, she directed her first feature-length film for children. In 1971, the shooting of the film “Uprising in the Palace” began, which was to be released to the public in 1972. Further, other films such as “Spoiled Mimosa”, “Beni walks on his own”, a film which was awarded with Cup of the First Albanian Film Festival; “Tomka and his friends”, “After the tracks”, “A small delay”, “Taulanti wants a sister”, etc. These films would make her known and loved both by the young audience and the adult one as well.

With these films, Xhanfise Keko represented Albania at various international festivals, where she was awarded prizes and titles, such as the “Giffoni Film Festival” in Italy, the Film Festival in Belgrade, the Medal of the President of the Italian Republic, etc. But even in her homeland, Xhanfise Keko would be appreciated for her great work in children’s cinematography. She was awarded the “Great Prize of the Republic” in 1979. In the same year, she was awarded the title of “Merited Artist”, and 5 years later also the high title of “People’s Artist”.

/k.s/