🔗 Share this article Iranian Film Titan, Beyzai, Dies Aged 87 Bahram Beyzai (left) with his wife, actress Mozhdeh Shamsai Widespread tributes are pouring in for Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Persian film and stage, who has died at the age of 87 in the US. A Nation Mourns The headlines of publications in Iran mourn his loss, with opposition voices and those who look back fondly on the pre-revolution period also paying homage to Beyzai. "His passing is an immense tragedy for the cultural heritage of our country," said Prince Reza Pahlavi, son of the last Shah of Iran. Although Beyzai's subsequent works were banned in the 1980s by the theocratic government, a number of prominent officials in the present administration have also paid tribute his contribution to Iranian culture. The Teacher of a Generation Several of the current crop of Persian directors have acknowledged their debt to him. Award-winning director Jaafar Panahi noted that Beyzai showed them "the way to resist oblivion." Beyzai steered clear of direct political references in his work, both as a playwright and a cinematic auteur, and always maintained he tried not to deal in overt messages. But his oeuvre over countless years places archetypal characters in opposition with authoritarian structures of power. A Cultural Foundation Hailing from a lineage of celebrated poets, Beyzai was imbued in the richest heritage of Iranian artistry from birth. He first rose to prominence as a theater writer, inspired by ancient myths and ceremonies. A devotee of cinema, he transitioned to filmmaking in the 1970s. He gained acclaim as one of the pivotal artists in the new wave of Iranian cinema. Navigating Censorship His most productive period spanned the time of the Shah and then the revolutionary government that overthrew him—with each regime ever ready to detect subtext that could be seen as dissent. "Beyzai did not choose the easy way. He withstood years of marginalization, enforced quiet, and distance, but he did not give up his artistic voice and his beliefs," said Jaafar Panahi in his tribute. The Little Stranger A few years after the Iranian Revolution, he produced what many consider his masterpiece, Bashu, the Little Stranger, about a small boy who tries to take refuge from the devastating conflict. It was banned in Iran—as were subsequent works he made in that time—but later chosen by film critics as the greatest Iranian film of all time. The film was screened in a restored version at this year's Venice Film Festival, winning an award for outstanding feature in the classics section. A Hopeful Exile Beyzai ultimately departed Iran in 2010 and lived out his final days in the US, where he taught Persian studies. Although he went into exile, his wife, the actress Shamsai, said just the sound of the word "Iran" would still make him emotional—and he remained ever hopeful for a renewed spirit and future for his homeland.