🔗 Share this article Persian Film Giant, Bahram Beyzai, Dies At the Age of 87 Bahram Beyzai (left) with his wife, actress Mozhdeh Shamsai Profound tributes are pouring in for Bahram Beyzai, a colossus of Persian film and stage, who passed away at the age of 87 while residing in the United States. Homeland in Mourning The headlines of Iranian newspapers 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 art and culture of our country," remarked 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 host of senior figures in the current government have also acknowledged his legacy to Iranian culture. The Teacher of a Generation Several of the contemporary generation of Persian directors have expressed their gratitude to him. Award-winning director Jaafar Panahi noted that Beyzai taught them "the way to resist oblivion." Beyzai steered clear of 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 work over many decades places archetypal characters in opposition with oppressive structures of power. A Cultural Foundation Hailing from a lineage of renowned poets, Beyzai was steeped in the richest heritage of Persian culture from birth. He first found fame as a theater writer, inspired by Persian legend and ritual. A devotee of cinema, he transitioned to filmmaking in the 1970s. He won renown as one of the pivotal artists in the groundbreaking movement of Iranian cinema. An Enduring Voice His most productive period straddled 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 seen as dissent. "Beyzai never opted for the path of least resistance. He withstood years of exclusion, enforced quiet, and exile, but he did not give up his language and his convictions," stated the filmmaker in his tribute. A Masterpiece Amidst Conflict A few years after the Iranian Revolution, he produced what many regard as his magnum opus, Bashu, the Little Stranger, about a small boy who tries to take refuge from the devastating conflict. It was censored 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 screened in a restored version at this year's Venice Film Festival, winning an award for outstanding feature in the heritage category. A Hopeful 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 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 future for his native land.