🔗 Share this article Iranian Cinema Giant, Bahram Beyzai, Dies At the Age of 87 Beyzai pictured alongside his spouse, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai Widespread tributes have been shared for the legendary Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Persian film and stage, who passed away aged 87 in the US. A Nation Mourns The headlines of Iranian newspapers mourn his loss, with opposition voices and those who reflect nostalgically on the pre-revolution period also offering their respects to Beyzai. "This loss is an immense tragedy for the cultural heritage of our country," remarked the exiled prince, the exiled son of the last Shah of Iran. Although Beyzai's subsequent works were prohibited in the 1980s by the theocratic government, a host of prominent officials in the current government have also acknowledged his contribution to Iranian culture. The Teacher of a Generation Many of the current crop 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 overtly political content in his work, both as a playwright and a cinematic auteur, and always maintained he tried not to trade in overt messages. But his work over many decades places historical, even mythic figures in conflict with oppressive 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 found fame as a theater writer, drawing on Persian legend and ritual. A devotee of cinema, he transitioned to filmmaking 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 spanned the time of the Shah and then the Islamic theocratic forces that overthrew him—with each regime constantly poised to detect subtext that could be interpreted as dissent. "Beyzai did not choose the path of least resistance. He withstood years of exclusion, imposed silence, and exile, 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 magnum opus, Bashu, the Little Stranger, about a young child who tries to find shelter from the Iran-Iraq war. It was banned in Iran—as were other films he made in that time—but later voted by critics as the best 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. 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 renewed spirit and tomorrow for his homeland.