🔗 Share this article Iranian Film Giant, Beyzai, Dies Aged 87 Bahram Beyzai (left) with his wife, actress Mozhdeh Shamsai Widespread homages have been shared for the legendary Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Iranian cinema and theatre, who has died at the age of 87 in the US. A Nation Mourns The headlines of publications in Iran 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 an immense tragedy for the art and culture of our country," said the exiled prince, son of the last Shah of Iran. Although Beyzai's subsequent works were banned in the 1980s by the Islamic regime, a number of senior figures in the current government have also acknowledged his contribution to Persian arts. The Teacher of a Generation Many 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 avoided overtly political content in his work, both as a dramatist and a film director, and always maintained he tried not to deal in explicit commentary. But his work over countless years places archetypal characters in opposition with authoritarian structures of power. A Cultural Foundation Hailing from a lineage of renowned poets, Beyzai was imbued in the deepest traditions of Persian culture from birth. He first rose to prominence as a theater writer, drawing on ancient myths and ceremonies. A devotee of cinema, he transitioned to filmmaking in the 1970s. He gained acclaim as one of the pivotal artists in the groundbreaking movement of Iranian cinema. 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 criticism. "Beyzai did not choose the path of least resistance. He withstood years of exclusion, imposed silence, and exile, but he never abandoned his language and his convictions," said the filmmaker in his tribute. A Masterpiece Amidst Conflict A few years after the Iranian Revolution, he produced what many regard as 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 subsequent works he made in that period—but later voted by film critics as the best Iranian film of all time. The film was shown in a restored version at this year's Venice Film Festival, winning an award for best film in the heritage category. A Hopeful Exile Beyzai finally left Iran in 2010 and lived out his final days in the US, where he taught Persian studies. Although he left his homeland, his wife, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai, said just hearing the word "Iran" would still bring tears to his eyes—and he remained ever hopeful for a new culture and tomorrow for his native land.