🔗 Share this article Iranian Film Giant, Beyzai, Dies At the Age of 87 Beyzai pictured alongside his spouse, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai Widespread homages are pouring in for Bahram Beyzai, a colossus of Persian film and stage, who has died aged 87 while residing in the United States. A Nation Mourns The headlines of Iranian newspapers 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," remarked Prince Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the last Shah of Iran. Even though Beyzai's later films were prohibited in the 1980s by the theocratic government, a host of prominent officials in the current government have also paid tribute his legacy to Persian arts. A Mentor to Filmmakers Several of the current crop of Iranian filmmakers have expressed their gratitude 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 playwright and a cinematic auteur, and always said he tried not to deal in overt messages. But his oeuvre over many decades places archetypal characters in conflict with authoritarian structures of power. A Cultural Foundation Hailing from a lineage of celebrated poets, Beyzai was steeped in the richest heritage of Iranian artistry from birth. He first found fame as a playwright, drawing on Persian legend and ritual. A lifelong fan of cinema, he moved into filmmaking in the 1970s. He won renown as one of the pivotal artists in the new wave of Iranian cinema. Navigating Censorship His most productive period spanned the time of the Shah and then the revolutionary government that overthrew him—with both systems ever ready to detect hidden messages that could be seen as criticism. "Beyzai did not choose the easy way. He endured years of marginalization, imposed silence, and distance, but he never abandoned his language and his beliefs," stated Jaafar Panahi in his tribute. The Little Stranger A few years after the Iranian Revolution, he produced what many consider his magnum opus, Bashu, the Little Stranger, about a small boy who tries to find shelter from the devastating conflict. It was censored in Iran—as were subsequent works he made in that time—but later chosen by 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 outstanding feature in the classics section. Final Years in Exile Beyzai ultimately departed Iran in 2010 and lived out his final days in the US, where he lectured on Iranian culture. Although he went into exile, his wife, the actress Shamsai, said just the sound of the word "Iran" would still bring tears to his eyes—and he continued to hope for a new culture and tomorrow for his homeland.