🔗 Share this article Iranian Film Titan, Bahram Beyzai, Dies At the Age of 87 Beyzai pictured alongside his spouse, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai Profound homages are pouring in for Bahram Beyzai, a colossus of Iranian cinema and theatre, who has died aged 87 while residing in the United States. A Nation Mourns The headlines of publications in Iran lament his loss, with dissenting figures and those who reflect nostalgically on the Shah era also paying homage to Beyzai. "His passing is a great loss for the art and culture of our country," remarked the exiled prince, the exiled son of the last Shah of Iran. Although Beyzai's subsequent works were banned in the 1980s by the Islamic regime, a host of prominent officials in the present administration have also paid tribute his contribution to Persian arts. The Teacher of a Generation Many of the current crop of Iranian filmmakers have acknowledged their debt to him. Award-winning director Jaafar Panahi noted that Beyzai showed them "how to stand up to oblivion." Beyzai steered clear of overtly political content in his work, both as a dramatist and a cinematic auteur, and always maintained he tried not to deal in overt messages. But his oeuvre over many decades sets historical, even mythic figures in conflict with authoritarian structures of power. A Cultural Foundation From a family of celebrated poets, Beyzai was steeped in the richest heritage of Iranian artistry from birth. He first rose to prominence as a playwright, drawing on ancient myths and ceremonies. A devotee of cinema, he transitioned to filmmaking in the 1970s. He gained acclaim as one of the key figures in the new wave of Persian film. Navigating Censorship His most productive period spanned the time of the Shah and then the revolutionary government that deposed him—with each regime constantly poised to sniff out subtext that could be seen as criticism. "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 artistic voice and his convictions," stated the filmmaker in his tribute. A Masterpiece Amidst Conflict A few years after the 1979 Revolution, he produced what many regard as his magnum opus, Bashu, the Little Stranger, about a young child who tries to find shelter from the devastating conflict. It was censored in Iran—as were other films he made in that period—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, winning an award for outstanding feature in the classics section. A Hopeful Exile Beyzai finally left Iran in 2010 and lived out his final days in the US, where he lectured on Iranian culture. Although he left his homeland, his wife, the actress Shamsai, said just the sound of the word "Iran" would still make him emotional—and he remained ever hopeful for a renewed spirit and tomorrow for his homeland.