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Profound tributes are pouring in for the legendary Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Iranian cinema and theatre, who passed away at the age of 87 in the US.

Homeland in Mourning

The front pages of Iranian newspapers lament his loss, with dissenting figures and those who look back fondly on the Shah era also paying homage to Beyzai.

"His passing is an immense tragedy for the cultural heritage 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 number of prominent officials in the current government have also acknowledged his contribution to Persian arts.

A Mentor to Filmmakers

Many of the contemporary generation of Persian directors have acknowledged their debt to him. Award-winning director Jaafar Panahi noted that Beyzai taught them "how to stand up to oblivion."

Beyzai steered clear of direct political references in his work, both as a playwright and a film director, and always said he tried not to trade in explicit commentary.

But his work over many decades places historical, even mythic figures in conflict with oppressive religious and political systems.

A Cultural Foundation

From a family of renowned poets, Beyzai was imbued in the deepest traditions of Iranian artistry from birth.

He first found fame 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 key figures in the groundbreaking movement 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 subtext that could be seen as criticism.

"Beyzai never opted for the easy way. He endured years of marginalization, imposed silence, and distance, but he never abandoned his artistic voice and his beliefs," stated Jaafar Panahi in his tribute.

The Little Stranger

A few years after the 1979 Revolution, he produced what many consider his magnum opus, Bashu, the Little Stranger, about a small boy 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 voted by critics as the best 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.

A Hopeful Exile

Beyzai ultimately departed Iran in 2010 and spent his later years in the US, where he taught Persian studies.

Although he left his homeland, his wife, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai, said just the sound of the word "Iran" would still bring tears to his eyes—and he remained ever hopeful for a new culture and future for his native land.