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Widespread tributes have been shared for Bahram Beyzai, a colossus of Iranian cinema and theatre, who has died at the age of 87 while residing in the United States.

Homeland in Mourning

The front pages of publications in Iran mourn his loss, with dissenting figures 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 later films were prohibited in the 1980s by the Islamic regime, a host of senior figures in the present administration have also acknowledged his legacy to Persian arts.

The Teacher of a Generation

Many of the contemporary generation of Persian directors have expressed their gratitude to him. Jaafar Panahi noted that Beyzai showed them "how to stand up to oblivion."

Beyzai avoided direct political references in his work, both as a dramatist and a cinematic auteur, and always said he tried not to trade in explicit commentary.

But his work over many decades sets historical, even mythic figures in conflict with authoritarian structures of power.

A Cultural Foundation

From a family of renowned poets, Beyzai was steeped in the deepest traditions of Persian culture from birth.

He first found fame as a playwright, drawing on ancient myths and ceremonies.

A lifelong fan of cinema, he moved into making films in the 1970s.

He won renown as one of the key figures 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 deposed him—with both systems ever ready to detect subtext that could be seen as criticism.

"Beyzai did not choose the path of least resistance. He withstood years of marginalization, imposed silence, and exile, but he never abandoned 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 consider his masterpiece, 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 time—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 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 taught Iranian culture.

Even after he left his homeland, his wife, the actress Mozhdeh 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.