🔗 Share this article Iranian Film Titan, Bahram Beyzai, Dies Aged 87 Bahram Beyzai (left) with his wife, actress Mozhdeh Shamsai Widespread tributes are pouring in for the legendary Bahram Beyzai, a colossus of Persian film and stage, who has died aged 87 in the US. A Nation Mourns The front pages of Iranian newspapers mourn his loss, with opposition voices and those who reflect nostalgically on the pre-revolution period also offering their respects to Beyzai. "This loss is a great loss 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 later films were banned in the 1980s by the Islamic regime, a host of senior figures in the current government have also paid tribute his contribution to Iranian culture. The Teacher of a Generation Many of the contemporary generation of Persian directors have acknowledged their debt to him. Award-winning director Jaafar Panahi said that Beyzai showed them "the way to resist oblivion." Beyzai avoided direct political references in his work, both as a dramatist and a film director, and always said he tried not to trade in explicit commentary. But his work over countless years places historical, even mythic figures in opposition with oppressive religious and political systems. A Cultural Foundation From a family of renowned poets, Beyzai was steeped in the deepest traditions of Persian culture from birth. He first rose to prominence as a playwright, drawing on Persian legend and ritual. A lifelong fan of cinema, he moved into filmmaking in the 1970s. He gained acclaim 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 Islamic theocratic forces that deposed him—with each regime constantly poised to detect hidden messages that could be interpreted as dissent. "Beyzai never opted for the easy way. He endured years of exclusion, enforced quiet, and distance, but he never abandoned his language and his convictions," said Jaafar Panahi 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 find shelter from the devastating conflict. It was banned in Iran—as were other films 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 newly remastered print at this year's Venice Biennale, receiving an award for best film 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 Persian studies. Even after he went into exile, his wife, the actress 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.