🔗 Share this article Iranian Cinema Titan, Beyzai, Dies At the Age of 87 Bahram Beyzai (left) with his wife, actress Mozhdeh Shamsai Widespread homages have been shared for the legendary Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Persian film and stage, who has died at the age of 87 while residing in the United States. 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. "His passing is an immense tragedy for the art and culture of our country," remarked the exiled prince, 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. The Teacher of a Generation Several of the contemporary generation of Persian directors have expressed their gratitude to him. Jaafar Panahi said that Beyzai showed them "how to stand up to oblivion." Beyzai steered clear of overtly political content in his work, both as a playwright and a cinematic auteur, and always said he tried not to trade in overt messages. But his oeuvre over countless years sets 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, 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 Iranian cinema. Navigating Censorship His most fruitful era straddled the time of the Shah and then the revolutionary government that overthrew him—with each regime ever ready to sniff out hidden messages that could be seen as criticism. "Beyzai never opted for the path of least resistance. He endured years of exclusion, imposed silence, and exile, but he did not give up his language and his beliefs," stated the filmmaker in his tribute. A Masterpiece Amidst Conflict A few years after the Iranian Revolution, he produced what many consider his masterpiece, 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 time—but later chosen by film critics as the best Iranian film of all time. The film was screened 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 spent his later years in the US, where he lectured on Iranian culture. Even after he left his homeland, his wife, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai, said just the sound of the word "Iran" would still make him emotional—and he continued to hope for a renewed spirit and future for his homeland.