Sāmūʼil Khāchīkiyān (October 22, 1923–October 22, 2001) was a renowned Iranian Armenian filmmaker, editor, author, and screenwriter. Born in Tabriz, he moved to Tehran at 20, starting his career in theater as a teen. In 1972, he co-founded the “Art-loving Armenian Youth Theater Group.” His film career began by working at ‘Diana Studio’ in 1951, followed by the production of his first film, Bāzgasht (Return), in 1953. Shab-nishīnī dar jahannam (A Party in Hell), produced in 1957, became the first Iranian film to receive a nomination at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1958, marking the first-ever nomination for an Iranian film in an international festival. His proficiency in crafting crime and horror movies earned him the title “the Iranian Hitchcock ” following the releases of Faryād-i nīmishab (The Midnight Terror) and Yak qadam tā marg (One Step to Death) in 1961. His pioneering trailer for Dukhtar-i az Shīrāz (A Girl from Shiraz, 1954) stands as the first movie trailer in the history of Iranian cinema. Subsequent box office hits like Tūfān dar shahr-i mā, (Storm in Our Town, 1958), Dilhurah (Anxiety, 1962), Zarbat (The Strike, 1964), and Uqābhā (The Eagles, 1984) further demonstrated his skills in filmmaking and engaging the audience. Khachikian received widespread acclaim for his inventive use of the decoupage technique. He mastered technical skills, meticulously focusing on lighting, sound, and editing across all genres while also writing pre-shooting scripts. His contributions were crucial to the rise in popularity of noir thrillers and murder mysteries in Iranian cinema.