🔗 Share this article Persian Film Giant, Bahram Beyzai, Passes Away Aged 87 Bahram Beyzai (left) with his wife, actress Mozhdeh Shamsai Profound tributes are pouring in for Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Iranian cinema and theatre, who has died aged 87 while residing in the United States. A Nation Mourns The front pages of publications in Iran lament his loss, with opposition voices and those who reflect nostalgically on the pre-revolution period also paying homage to Beyzai. "His passing is an immense tragedy for the cultural heritage of our country," remarked Prince Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the last Shah of Iran. Even though Beyzai's subsequent works were prohibited in the 1980s by the theocratic government, a host of senior figures in the current government have also paid tribute his legacy to Persian arts. A Mentor to Filmmakers Many 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 avoided overtly political content in his work, both as a playwright and a film director, and always said he tried not to trade in explicit commentary. But his oeuvre over many decades places historical, even mythic figures in conflict with oppressive religious and political systems. Roots in Tradition Hailing from a lineage of renowned poets, Beyzai was imbued in the deepest traditions of Iranian artistry from birth. He first found fame as a playwright, inspired by Persian legend and ritual. A lifelong fan of cinema, he transitioned to filmmaking in the 1970s. He won renown as one of the key figures in the groundbreaking movement of Iranian cinema. Navigating Censorship His most productive period spanned the time of the Shah and then the revolutionary government that overthrew him—with both systems ever ready to detect subtext that could be seen as dissent. "Beyzai did not choose the path of least resistance. He endured years of marginalization, imposed silence, and distance, but he never abandoned his artistic voice and his beliefs," said Jaafar Panahi in his tribute. The Little Stranger A few years after the 1979 Revolution, he produced what many consider his masterpiece, Bashu, the Little Stranger, about a small boy who tries to find shelter from the Iran-Iraq war. It was censored in Iran—as were subsequent works he made in that period—but later chosen by critics as the best Iranian film of all time. The film was shown in a newly remastered print at this year's Venice Biennale, receiving an award for best film in the heritage category. Final Years in Exile Beyzai finally left Iran in 2010 and spent his later years in the US, where he taught Iranian culture. Although he went into exile, his wife, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai, said just the sound of the word "Iran" would still make him emotional—and he continued to hope for a renewed spirit and tomorrow for his homeland.