🔗 Share this article Persian Cinema Titan, Bahram Beyzai, Passes Away Aged 87 Bahram Beyzai (left) with his wife, actress Mozhdeh Shamsai Profound homages have been shared for Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Iranian cinema and theatre, who has died at the age of 87 in the US. Homeland in Mourning The front pages of Iranian newspapers mourn his loss, with dissenting figures and those who look back fondly on the Shah era 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 Islamic regime, a number of prominent officials in the current government have also paid tribute his legacy to Iranian culture. A Mentor to Filmmakers Many of the current crop of Iranian filmmakers have acknowledged their debt to him. Award-winning director Jaafar Panahi noted that Beyzai showed them "the way to resist oblivion." Beyzai avoided overtly political content in his work, both as a dramatist and a cinematic auteur, and always said he tried not to trade in explicit commentary. But his oeuvre over countless years places historical, even mythic figures in opposition with oppressive religious and political systems. Roots in Tradition From a family of renowned poets, Beyzai was imbued in the richest heritage of Persian culture from birth. He first found fame as a theater writer, drawing on ancient myths and ceremonies. A devotee of cinema, he moved into filmmaking in the 1970s. He gained acclaim as one of the pivotal artists in the new wave of Iranian cinema. An Enduring Voice His most productive period straddled the time of the Shah and then the revolutionary government that deposed him—with both systems ever ready to sniff out subtext that could be seen as criticism. "Beyzai never opted for the easy way. He endured years of exclusion, imposed silence, and distance, but he did not give up his language 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 magnum opus, Bashu, the Little Stranger, about a young child who tries to take refuge from the devastating conflict. It was censored in Iran—as were other films he made in that period—but later voted by critics as the best Iranian film of all time. The film was shown in a restored version at this year's Venice Biennale, receiving an award for best film in the heritage category. A Hopeful Exile Beyzai finally left Iran in 2010 and lived out his final days in the US, where he taught Iranian culture. Even after he went into exile, his wife, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai, said just hearing the word "Iran" would still bring tears to his eyes—and he remained ever hopeful for a renewed spirit and tomorrow for his homeland.