🔗 Share this article Iranian Film Giant, Beyzai, Passes Away Aged 87 Beyzai pictured alongside his spouse, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai Profound tributes have been shared for the legendary Bahram Beyzai, a colossus of Iranian cinema and theatre, who passed away at the age of 87 in the US. Homeland in Mourning The headlines of Iranian newspapers lament his loss, with opposition voices and those who look back fondly on the pre-revolution period also paying homage to Beyzai. "His passing is a great loss for the cultural heritage of our country," said Prince Reza Pahlavi, son of the last Shah of Iran. Even though Beyzai's subsequent works were banned in the 1980s by the theocratic government, a number of prominent officials in the current government have also paid tribute his contribution to Iranian culture. The Teacher of a Generation Many 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 overtly political content in his work, both as a playwright and a film director, and always maintained he tried not to trade in overt messages. But his work over many decades sets historical, even mythic figures in conflict with authoritarian structures of power. A Cultural Foundation Hailing from a lineage of renowned poets, Beyzai was steeped in the deepest traditions of Iranian artistry from birth. He first rose to prominence as a theater writer, inspired by Persian legend and ritual. A devotee of cinema, he moved into making films in the 1970s. He gained acclaim as one of the pivotal artists in the groundbreaking movement of Persian film. Navigating Censorship His most productive period spanned the time of the Shah and then the revolutionary government that deposed him—with both systems constantly poised to sniff out hidden messages that could be seen as dissent. "Beyzai never opted for the path of least resistance. He withstood years of exclusion, imposed silence, and exile, but he did not give up his language and his convictions," said the filmmaker in his tribute. The Little Stranger 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 other films he made in that time—but later voted 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 classics section. Final Years in Exile Beyzai finally left Iran in 2010 and lived out his final days in the US, where he lectured on Persian studies. Although he went into exile, his wife, the actress Shamsai, said just hearing the word "Iran" would still make him emotional—and he continued to hope for a new culture and future for his homeland.