Uvānis Uhānīyān (October 1896-September 1960), born in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, was a key figure in Iranian and Armenian cinema. As the first Iranian filmmaker and the founder of the first school of acting in Iran, he made a significant contribution to the development of Middle Eastern cinema. While lacking knowledge of the Persian language upon his arrival in Iran in 1930, he swiftly acquired it, and shortly thereafter, he endeavored to establish the first acting school in 1939, known as the “Cinema Actors Educational Centre,” thereby promoting film education and fostering artistic growth in Iran. Ohanian’s vital contributions throughout his life helped shape the early stage of Iranian cinema.