Hossain Sabzian

Hossain Sabzian, born around 1953-1954 in Tehran, Iran, is best remembered as the central figure in the acclaimed 1990 docufiction *Close-Up*, directed by the esteemed filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami. The film has earned a reputation as one of the greatest cinematic achievements, often hailed as the pinnacle of Iranian cinema. In a remarkable twist of fate in 1989, Sabzian deceived a struggling family into believing he was the renowned director Mohsen Makhmalbaf, an incident that Kiarostami skillfully adapted into *Close-Up*.

Raised in a working-class background, Sabzian's passion for film began in his youth when he would skip school in Isfahan to indulge in cinema, solidifying his identity as a devoted film enthusiast. His admiration for Makhmalbaf's *The Cyclist* (1987) is illustrated poignantly in *Close-Up*, where he is depicted reading a book on the film during his first encounter with Mahrokh Ahankhah, the mother of the family he misled.

While some viewed Sabzian as merely a con artist, Kiarostami's direction invites empathy, portraying him as a lonely soul driven by a fervent love for cinema. Despite the film's success in elevating his status among cinephiles, Sabzian's life took a tragic turn, leading to a deep depression and alienation in the years that followed.

Prior to *Close-Up*, he worked at a printing press and attempted to create amateur films, though his aspirations were largely unfulfilled. After the film's release, he briefly faced legal consequences but was ultimately pardoned due to the family's understanding of his intentions. In his later years, Sabzian supported himself by selling pirated DVDs, battling chronic asthma throughout his life. Tragically, he succumbed to respiratory failure on September 29, 2006, after spending 102 days in a coma