January 27th, 1895, is the birthdate of Kostandin Kote, an Albanian diplomat and minister of the Albanian state. He was born in Leusa, of Përmeti. He attended the college of Saint Adrian in Saint Miter Korone and in the years 1914-1917 he studied in Italy in the field of engineering. In 1921-1922, he was the second secretary and attaché of the Albanian legation in Rome. In 1922-1924 he served as secretary of the Assembly of Albania. He supported the Noli government that came out of the June Movement and after the Triumph of Legality on December 24, 1924, he left Albania and emigrated. The Yugoslav authorities did not allow him to settle in Dalmatia, and until 1939 he was an anti-Zogist political immigrant in Italy and Switzerland, where he spent more than enough time in Geneva, and as a temporary editor, “National Freedom”. In June 1939-1942, he worked as director of propaganda in the General Directorate of Press, Propaganda and Tourism. In 1942, he was  appointed the state secretary of the National Economy. On January 4, 1943, he opened the short-lived Roja Kombëtare newspaper. He was arrested by the communists at the end of 1944. On April 13, he was sentenced to death as a collaborator by the Special Court and was executed.

Albanian film director, Xhanfise Keko was born on January 27, 1928 in Gjirokastra. She started her work as an editor, and was one of the members of Kinostudio, “New Albania”, in 1952. After a long experience as an editor, she started working as a director in 1971. For 13 years, Keko produced 12 feature films, which are still very popular today, especially for children. Realized artistically, but also with educational value, the films of Xhanfise Keko have competed with dignity in foreign festivals. Compared to the awards of many titles, in 1984 she was awarded the high title “People’s Artist”, she also won the First Festival Cup for the film “Beni walks on his own” in 1976. Xhanfise Keko is also the first Albanian director awarded with international prizes. At the International Film Festival for Children and Young People in Xifoni (Italy), she won medals for the films “Beni walks on his own”, “Following the tracks” and “Tomka and his friends”. She passed away on December 22, 2007. 

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