🔗 Share this article Iranian 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 Persian film and stage, who passed away at the age of 87 in the US. A Nation Mourns The front pages of publications in Iran mourn his loss, with opposition voices and those who reflect nostalgically on the pre-revolution period also offering their respects to Beyzai. "His passing is a great loss for the art and culture of our country," said the exiled prince, son of the last Shah of Iran. Even though Beyzai's later films were prohibited in the 1980s by the Islamic regime, a number of senior figures in the present administration have also acknowledged his contribution to Iranian culture. The Teacher of a Generation Several of the current crop of Persian directors have expressed their gratitude to him. Jaafar Panahi said that Beyzai taught them "how to stand up to oblivion." Beyzai steered clear of direct political references in his work, both as a playwright and a cinematic auteur, and always said he tried not to deal in overt messages. But his work over many decades sets archetypal characters in opposition with authoritarian structures of power. A Cultural Foundation Hailing from a lineage of celebrated poets, Beyzai was steeped in the richest heritage of Iranian artistry from birth. He first found fame as a theater writer, inspired by Persian legend and ritual. A lifelong fan of cinema, he transitioned to making films in the 1970s. He gained acclaim as one of the pivotal artists in the groundbreaking movement of Iranian cinema. An Enduring Voice His most fruitful era straddled the time of the Shah and then the Islamic theocratic forces that overthrew him—with each regime ever ready to sniff out hidden messages that could be interpreted as dissent. "Beyzai did not choose the path of least resistance. He endured years of exclusion, enforced quiet, and exile, but he did not give up 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 take refuge from the devastating conflict. It was banned in Iran—as were other films he made in that time—but later voted by film 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 classics section. A Hopeful Exile Beyzai finally left Iran in 2010 and lived out his final days in the US, where he taught Iranian culture. Although he left his homeland, 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 new culture and future for his homeland.