🔗 Share this article Iranian Film Giant, Beyzai, Passes Away 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 aged 87 in the US. A Nation Mourns The front pages of publications in Iran lament his loss, with opposition voices and those who look back fondly on the pre-revolution period also offering their respects to Beyzai. "This loss is an immense tragedy for the art and culture of our country," remarked the exiled prince, the exiled son of the last Shah of Iran. Even though Beyzai's subsequent works were banned in the 1980s by the Islamic regime, a number of prominent officials in the current government have also paid tribute his contribution to Persian arts. A Mentor to Filmmakers Several of the current crop of Iranian filmmakers have acknowledged their debt to him. Jaafar Panahi noted that Beyzai taught them "how to stand up to oblivion." Beyzai avoided overtly political content in his work, both as a playwright and a film director, and always said he tried not to deal in explicit commentary. But his oeuvre over countless years places archetypal characters in conflict with oppressive structures of power. A Cultural Foundation Hailing from a lineage of renowned poets, Beyzai was steeped in the deepest traditions of Persian culture from birth. He first found fame as a playwright, inspired by ancient myths and ceremonies. A devotee of cinema, he transitioned to filmmaking in the 1970s. He won renown as one of the key figures in the new wave of Iranian cinema. An Enduring Voice His most productive period spanned the time of the Shah and then the revolutionary government that deposed 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 marginalization, enforced quiet, and exile, but he did not give up his language and his beliefs," said Jaafar Panahi in his tribute. A Masterpiece Amidst Conflict A few years after the Iranian Revolution, he produced what many consider his magnum opus, Bashu, the Little Stranger, about a young child who tries to take refuge from the Iran-Iraq war. 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 screened in a newly remastered print at this year's Venice Biennale, winning an award for outstanding feature in the classics section. 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 Mozhdeh Shamsai, said just hearing the word "Iran" would still bring tears to his eyes—and he continued to hope for a renewed spirit and future for his homeland.