Shahab Hosseini

Presenting

Shahab Hosseini's career began with radio presenting, and in 1998, he transitioned to television hosting in Iran. He appeared as a presenter on the program Oxygen. Hosseini also hosted several other programs, including Barpa Barpa, Morning Color, and Light and Shadow. On radio, he contributed as a presenter for programs such as Two Halves of an Apple, Our Voice, and Joyful Melody. In 2015, he served as a narrator for a pre-dawn television program.^[13][14]

In 2020, Hosseini hosted the talk show Hamrafigh on the Iranian streaming platform Namava, with the first episode airing on December 10, 2020.^[15]

Television

Hosseini debuted as an actor in 2000 with the television series After the Rain. In 2001, he starred in Young Police, followed by Cold Fever in 2003. In 2006, he played Habib Parsa in Zero Degree Turn, directed by Hassan Fathi, a co-production between Iran, Hungary, France, and Lebanon. This role marked a high point in his television career.

In 2009, Hosseini portrayed Abbas Babaei in the series Flight Passion, which was well received by audiences.^[16] His first project in Iranian home media, Shahrzad (2014), was his second collaboration with Hassan Fathi, where he played the character Qobad.^[17] Despite his extensive film career, Hosseini continued working in television. Following the death of Morteza Ahmadi, he took on the role of narrator for several seasons of the animated series Shekarestan.^[18]

Film

Hosseini entered the film industry in 2001 with Rokhsareh, directed by Amir Ghavidel. Between 2002 and 2004, he appeared in films such as The Fifth Reaction by Tahmineh Milani, This Woman Doesn't Talk by Ahmad Amini, Honey Poison by Ebrahim Sheibani, and Redemption at 8:20 by Sirous Alvand. His performances in A Candle in the Wind (2003) as Babak and Redemption at 8:20 (2004) as Fouad earned him consecutive nominations for the Crystal Simorgh for Best Supporting Actor at the Fajr Film Festival. In 2004, he starred in Online Murder, followed by 50 Million Offer in 2005.

Hosseini's performances in 2007 films, including Eternal Children, A Candle in the Wind, Mahya, and Delshkasteh, garnered significant attention. For his role in Mahya, he received an Honorary Diploma for Best Actor at the Fajr Film Festival. The years 2008 and 2009 were pivotal for Hosseini, with notable roles in Delshkasteh by Ali Roeintan, About Elly by Asghar Farhadi, Superstar by Tahmineh Milani, Highway Vicinity by Shahram Assadi, and Wandering in the Mist by Bahram Tavakoli. His portrayal of Kourosh Zand in Superstar brought him widespread acclaim and the Crystal Simorgh for Best Actor at the Fajr Film Festival. For his roles in Wandering in the Mist and About Elly, he won the Best Actor award at the House of Cinema Festival. His performance as Ahmad in About Elly and as Amin in Wandering in the Mist were particularly acclaimed. In 2008, he worked with a non-Iranian director for the first time in Niloufar, directed by Sabine Jermayel.

In 2010, Hosseini collaborated again with Asghar Farhadi in A Separation, playing the role of Hojjat. The film earned him his first international accolade, the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the 2011 Berlin International Film Festival, shared with the male ensemble cast. He also received the Golden Statuette for Best Supporting Actor at the House of Cinema Festival and an Honorary Diploma at the Fajr Film Festival. His performance was nominated for the ICS Award for Best Supporting Actor by the International Cinephile Society. Critics regard his role in A Separation as one of his most memorable.

In a 2013 poll by the television program Haft, Hosseini was voted the best Iranian actor of the 2000s.

His notable films in 2011 and 2012 include Someone Wants to Talk to You, Hush! Girls Don't Scream, The Painting Pool, and Dream Interpretation. His method acting performance as Reza in The Painting Pool earned him the Special Jury Award for Best Actor at the Lisbon Film Festival. In 2014, Hosseini starred in An Era of Love, receiving another nomination for the Crystal Simorgh for Best Actor at the Fajr Film Festival. That same year, he made his directorial debut with Resident of the Middle Floor, in which he played 38 distinct roles.

In 2015, Hosseini joined Farhadi's seventh feature film, The Salesman, playing Emad. This marked their third collaboration. In 2016, Hosseini won the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival for his performance, becoming the first Iranian actor to receive this honor. The achievement was widely celebrated in Iran. In the same year, he won the Best Actor Award at the Action on Film Festival in the United States for his role in Hush! Girls Don't Scream.^[19]

Directing

Hosseini began directing in 2014 with Resident of the Middle Floor, a film about a man whose life changes after moving into a new building. In 2015, he co-directed the short film Come with Me with Alireza Nesaei and Sina Azin. His later directorial works include Nowhere Residents and The Dead Writer.^[20]

Producing

Hosseini has produced several films, including:

• Midnight Sun, directed by Shabir Shirazi^[21][22][23]
• Shin, directed by Meysam Kazazi^{[24][25][26][27]}
• Nargesi, directed by Payam Eskandari^[28][29][30]
• Nowhere Residents, directed by Shahab Hosseini^{[31][32][33][34]}

Other activities

Hosseini produced Midnight Sun (2016), directed by Shabir Shirazi.^[35] In 2020, he served as a jury member at the Gaziantep Immigrant Film Festival in Turkey.^[36] In 2022, he was a juror at the 40th Fajr Film Festival.^[37]

2009 presidential election

During the 2009 Iranian presidential election, Hosseini publicly supported Mir-Hossein Mousavi by releasing an audio statement and signing a petition backed by 800 artists endorsing Mousavi's candidacy.^[40]

38 roles

Hosseini's directorial debut, Resident of the Middle Floor, saw him portray 38 distinct characters, a feat considered a global milestone. Similar achievements include Peter Sellers in Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove and Dieter Hallervorden in Didi and the Family Inheritance, where actors played multiple roles.^[41]

Award dedication

After winning the Best Actor Award at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, Hosseini stated: "This award comes from my people, and I return it to them with all my heart and love."^[42] At a press conference in Iran, he noted that he received the award on Mid-Sha'ban, the birthday of the Twelfth Imam in Shia Islam, and dedicated part of his success to "the savior of humanity." This gesture received attention from the French newspaper Le Figaro and sparked discussions on social media, with some users noting that Hosseini had initially dedicated the award to the Iranian people.^[43]

Yalasarat controversy

In 2016, following the Hafez Awards, the newspaper Yalasarat al-Hussein published an article titled "All the Assets of a Celebration" and "Who is a Cuckold?" containing inflammatory remarks against Iranian artists. Hosseini responded on his Instagram, writing: "To the dishonorable and obscure individuals who shamelessly published this disgraceful article, the answer is simple. Your hands are unworthy of holding a pen. Put it down and join your Daesh-like kin. Wash your mouths before speaking of the art and artists of this land, as you have no right to judge the beloved of this nation."^[44]

38th Fajr Film Festival

Following the downing of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Masoud Kimiai was among the first artists to protest by withdrawing from the 38th Fajr Film Festival.^[45] Many Iranian artists across various fields followed suit, boycotting the festival in solidarity with the victims' families and to protest the socio-political situation.^[46][47]

In contrast, Hosseini opposed the boycott, stating on Instagram: "These withdrawals fuel division between 'us' and 'them.' When society and people need unity and compassion, it is wrong to assume that those who participate are not empathetic to the people's pain."^[48] On February 9, 2020, at the Fajr Film Festival, Hosseini criticized those who boycotted, including Kimiai, during a press conference for his film Shin at Mellat Cinema Complex. He indirectly referenced Kimiai, saying: "I cannot stay silent when a veteran filmmaker, whose work is known to audiences, refuses to make a film this year, claiming mistreatment, and lays the groundwork for nothing but hatred, putting others in a moral dilemma. It is unfair to be so self-centered and speak without regard for others."^[49][50]

Several artists, including Manijeh Hekmat,^[51] Hamed Esmaeilion,^[52] Pouya Kimiai,^[53] and the Iranian Directors Guild, condemned Hosseini's stance. The Guild's statement read:^[54]

The Central Council of the Iranian Directors Guild strongly condemns any disrespect, accusations, or inappropriate remarks against the personal opinion of Masoud Kimiai, a prominent figure of Iran's New Wave cinema. We deeply regret that the official platform of the Fajr Film Festival has become a stage for such disrespect and the degradation of artists.

COVID-19 vaccination in the United States

In February 2021, footage emerged of Hosseini receiving a COVID-19 vaccine in the United States.^{[55][56][57][58]} Hosseini later confirmed he received the vaccine.^[59][60][61] At the time, vaccines in the US were primarily allocated to healthcare workers and high-risk individuals.^[62][63] Due to the perishable nature of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, surplus doses were distributed to individuals present at vaccination centers to avoid waste.^[64]

Some social media users criticized Hosseini, citing his past support for Ali Khamenei and the Islamic Republic, which contrasted with Khamenei's opposition to US-made vaccines in Iran.^[65] Facing backlash, Hosseini announced his departure from Instagram.^[66]

Hosseini later explained: "At a friend's insistence, while accompanying them for a film project, we joined a line for surplus vaccines to try our luck. In the US, vaccination centers for the elderly and priority groups allocate about 20% extra doses to account for breakages or unforeseen issues. After priority vaccinations, surplus doses, which cannot be returned to cold storage, are distributed to the public. That’s all that happened—an opportunity anyone could encounter."^[67]

Film

Web

Television