🔗 Share this article Persian Film Titan, Bahram Beyzai, Passes Away Aged 87 Beyzai pictured alongside his spouse, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai Profound tributes are pouring in for the legendary Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Iranian cinema and theatre, who has died aged 87 in the US. A Nation Mourns The headlines of publications in Iran mourn his loss, with dissenting figures and those who reflect nostalgically on the Shah era also offering their respects to Beyzai. "This loss is an immense tragedy for the art and culture of our country," said the exiled prince, the exiled son of the last Shah of Iran. Even though Beyzai's later films were prohibited in the 1980s by the theocratic government, a number of senior figures in the current government have also paid tribute his contribution to Iranian culture. The Teacher of a Generation Several of the contemporary generation of Persian directors have acknowledged their debt to him. Award-winning director Jaafar Panahi said that Beyzai showed them "how to stand up to oblivion." Beyzai avoided direct political references in his work, both as a dramatist and a cinematic auteur, and always said he tried not to deal in overt messages. But his oeuvre over countless years sets historical, even mythic figures in opposition with oppressive religious and political systems. A Cultural Foundation Hailing from a lineage of renowned poets, Beyzai was imbued in the deepest traditions of Persian culture from birth. He first found fame as a theater writer, drawing on ancient myths and ceremonies. A lifelong fan of cinema, he moved into making films in the 1970s. He gained acclaim as one of the key figures in the groundbreaking movement of Persian film. Navigating Censorship His most fruitful era straddled the time of the Shah and then the Islamic theocratic forces that deposed him—with each regime ever ready to detect subtext that could be interpreted as dissent. "Beyzai never opted for the easy way. He withstood years of marginalization, enforced quiet, and distance, but he never abandoned his artistic voice and his convictions," said Jaafar Panahi in his tribute. A Masterpiece Amidst Conflict A few years after the 1979 Revolution, he produced what many regard as his masterpiece, Bashu, the Little Stranger, about a young child who tries to take refuge from the devastating conflict. It was banned in Iran—as were other films he made in that time—but later chosen by critics as the best Iranian film of all time. The film was shown in a restored version at this year's Venice Film Festival, receiving an award for outstanding feature in the heritage category. Final Years in Exile Beyzai ultimately departed Iran in 2010 and spent his later years in the US, where he taught Persian studies. Even after he went into exile, his wife, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai, said just the sound of the word "Iran" would still bring tears to his eyes—and he remained ever hopeful for a new culture and tomorrow for his homeland.