🔗 Share this article Iranian Film Giant, Bahram Beyzai, Dies At the Age of 87 Bahram Beyzai (left) with his wife, actress Mozhdeh Shamsai Profound tributes have been shared for the legendary Bahram Beyzai, a colossus of Persian film and stage, who passed away at the age of 87 while residing in the United States. A Nation Mourns The front pages of Iranian newspapers lament his loss, with dissenting figures and those who look back fondly on the Shah era also offering their respects to Beyzai. "This loss is an immense tragedy for the cultural heritage of our country," said the exiled prince, son of the last Shah of Iran. Although Beyzai's later films were banned in the 1980s by the Islamic regime, a host of senior figures in the present administration have also acknowledged his legacy to Iranian culture. The Teacher of a Generation Several of the current crop of Persian directors have expressed their gratitude to him. Jaafar Panahi noted that Beyzai showed them "how to stand up to oblivion." Beyzai avoided overtly political content in his work, both as a playwright and a film director, and always maintained he tried not to deal in overt messages. But his oeuvre over many decades sets historical, even mythic figures in opposition with authoritarian structures of power. A Cultural Foundation From a family of renowned poets, Beyzai was imbued in the richest heritage of Iranian artistry from birth. He first rose to prominence as a playwright, inspired by 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 groundbreaking movement 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 easy way. He withstood years of exclusion, imposed silence, and exile, but he never abandoned his artistic voice and his beliefs," 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 young child who tries to take refuge from the Iran-Iraq war. It was censored in Iran—as were other films he made in that time—but later chosen by critics as the greatest Iranian film of all time. The film was shown in a newly remastered print at this year's Venice Biennale, receiving an award for outstanding feature in the heritage category. 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. Even after 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 new culture and future for his homeland.