🔗 Share this article Persian Film Giant, Bahram Beyzai, Passes Away Aged 87 Beyzai pictured alongside his spouse, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai Widespread tributes have been shared for the legendary Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Iranian cinema and theatre, who passed away aged 87 in the US. A Nation Mourns The headlines 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 a great loss for the art and culture of our country," remarked Prince Reza Pahlavi, son of the last Shah of Iran. Although Beyzai's subsequent works were banned in the 1980s by the Islamic regime, a host of senior figures in the present administration have also paid tribute his legacy to Iranian culture. A Mentor to Filmmakers Several of the current crop of Iranian filmmakers have acknowledged their debt to him. Award-winning director Jaafar Panahi noted that Beyzai taught 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 overt messages. But his oeuvre over many decades sets archetypal characters in opposition with authoritarian structures of power. A Cultural Foundation Hailing from a lineage of renowned poets, Beyzai was steeped in the richest heritage of Persian culture from birth. He first found fame as a theater writer, inspired by Persian legend and ritual. A lifelong fan of cinema, he moved into filmmaking in the 1970s. He gained acclaim as one of the pivotal artists in the new wave of Persian film. An Enduring Voice His most productive period spanned the time of the Shah and then the revolutionary government that deposed him—with both systems ever ready 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, enforced quiet, and distance, but he did not give up his language and his convictions," stated Jaafar Panahi in his tribute. A Masterpiece Amidst Conflict A few years after the 1979 Revolution, he produced what many consider his magnum opus, Bashu, the Little Stranger, about a young child who tries to find shelter from the Iran-Iraq war. It was banned in Iran—as were subsequent works he made in that period—but later chosen by film critics as the greatest Iranian film of all time. The film was shown in a restored version at this year's Venice Biennale, receiving an award for best film in the classics section. Final Years in Exile Beyzai finally left Iran in 2010 and spent his later years in the US, where he lectured on Persian studies. Even after 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 continued to hope for a renewed spirit and tomorrow for his homeland.