🔗 Share this article Persian Cinema Titan, Bahram Beyzai, Passes Away Aged 87 Beyzai pictured alongside his spouse, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai Profound homages have been shared for the legendary Bahram Beyzai, a colossus of Iranian cinema and theatre, who has died aged 87 while residing in the United States. A Nation Mourns The front pages of Iranian newspapers lament his loss, with opposition voices and those who reflect nostalgically on the pre-revolution period also paying homage to Beyzai. "This loss is an immense tragedy for the art and culture of our country," said the exiled prince, son of the last Shah of Iran. Although Beyzai's later films were banned in the 1980s by the theocratic government, a host of senior figures in the present administration have also acknowledged his contribution to Persian arts. The Teacher of a Generation Several of the current crop of Persian directors have expressed their gratitude to him. Award-winning director Jaafar Panahi said that Beyzai taught them "the way to resist oblivion." Beyzai steered clear of overtly political content in his work, both as a dramatist and a cinematic auteur, and always maintained he tried not to trade in overt messages. But his work over many decades 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, drawing on ancient myths and ceremonies. A lifelong fan of cinema, he moved into making films in the 1970s. He won renown as one of the key figures in the new wave of Persian film. An Enduring Voice His most fruitful era spanned the time of the Shah and then the Islamic theocratic forces that overthrew him—with both systems ever ready to sniff out hidden messages that could be interpreted as criticism. "Beyzai never opted for the path of least resistance. He endured years of marginalization, imposed silence, and exile, but he never abandoned his artistic voice and his convictions," stated the filmmaker 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 find shelter from the devastating conflict. It was banned in Iran—as were subsequent works he made in that period—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, receiving an award for outstanding feature in the heritage category. A Hopeful Exile Beyzai finally left Iran in 2010 and spent his later years in the US, where he taught Iranian culture. Even after he went into exile, his wife, the actress Shamsai, said just hearing the word "Iran" would still bring tears to his eyes—and he remained ever hopeful for a renewed spirit and future for his native land.