🔗 Share this article Persian Film Titan, Bahram Beyzai, Passes Away At the Age of 87 Beyzai pictured alongside his spouse, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai Profound homages have been shared for Bahram Beyzai, a colossus of Persian film and stage, who has died aged 87 while residing in the United States. Homeland in Mourning The headlines of Iranian newspapers mourn his loss, with dissenting figures and those who look back fondly on the pre-revolution period also paying homage to Beyzai. "His passing is a great loss for the art and culture of our country," remarked the exiled prince, son of the last Shah of Iran. Although Beyzai's subsequent works were prohibited in the 1980s by the Islamic regime, a host of senior figures in the present administration have also paid tribute his legacy to Iranian culture. The Teacher of a Generation Several of the current crop of Iranian filmmakers have expressed their gratitude to him. Jaafar Panahi said that Beyzai showed 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 trade in explicit commentary. But his oeuvre over many decades places archetypal characters in conflict with authoritarian structures of power. A Cultural Foundation Hailing from a lineage of renowned poets, Beyzai was imbued in the richest heritage of Iranian artistry from birth. He first found fame as a theater writer, inspired by Persian legend and ritual. A devotee of cinema, he transitioned to making films in the 1970s. He gained acclaim as one of the key figures in the new wave of Persian film. An Enduring Voice His most fruitful era spanned the time of the Shah and then the Islamic theocratic forces that deposed him—with each regime constantly poised to sniff out subtext that could be interpreted as criticism. "Beyzai did not choose the path of least resistance. He endured years of marginalization, imposed silence, and distance, but he did not give up his artistic voice and his beliefs," said the filmmaker in his tribute. A Masterpiece Amidst Conflict A few years after the Iranian Revolution, he produced what many consider 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 period—but later chosen by film critics as the greatest Iranian film of all time. The film was shown in a newly remastered print at this year's Venice Biennale, winning an award for outstanding feature in the heritage category. Final Years in Exile Beyzai finally left Iran in 2010 and lived out his final days in the US, where he taught Iranian culture. Although he went into exile, his wife, the actress Shamsai, said just the sound of the word "Iran" would still make him emotional—and he continued to hope for a renewed spirit and future for his native land.