Borzoo Shahpour Parsi (Mehrshahi), a progressive Zoroastrian, philanthropist, and entrepreneur, built Iran’s first modern hotel and cinema in Qazvin.
His grand hotel, constructed between 1299–1300 SH (1920–1921 CE) in the western part of Qazvin’s Safavid citadel, was later registered as a national heritage site in 1384 SH (2005 CE).
In 1311 SH (1932 CE), he opened Qazvin’s first modern open-air cinema, “Shahpour Cinema,” seating 500–700 spectators. After a fire nine years later, it was rebuilt, only to be destroyed again in 1356 SH (1977 CE) and never restored. While an earlier cinema, “Mayak,” had opened in 1309 SH (1930 CE), it was Shahpour Parsi’s theater that brought a truly modern cinema experience to Qazvin, complete with projectors and outdoor screenings in the hotel garden.
Borzoo Shahpour Parsi is remembered as a trailblazer in Iran’s hotel and cinema industries, leaving a lasting legacy of innovation and vision.
