🔗 Share this article Persian Film Giant, Beyzai, Passes Away At the Age of 87 Beyzai pictured alongside his spouse, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai Widespread homages have been shared for the legendary 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 headlines of Iranian newspapers mourn his loss, with opposition voices and those who reflect nostalgically on the Shah era also offering their respects to Beyzai. "His passing is a great loss for the art and culture of our country," said 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 present administration have also acknowledged his legacy to Persian arts. A Mentor to Filmmakers Many of the current crop of Iranian filmmakers have expressed their gratitude to him. Award-winning director Jaafar Panahi said that Beyzai showed them "the way to resist oblivion." Beyzai steered clear of direct political references in his work, both as a playwright and a cinematic auteur, and always maintained he tried not to trade in overt messages. But his work over many decades places archetypal characters in opposition with oppressive structures of power. Roots in Tradition Hailing from a lineage of celebrated poets, Beyzai was steeped in the richest heritage of Persian culture 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 groundbreaking movement of Iranian cinema. An Enduring Voice His most fruitful era straddled the time of the Shah and then the revolutionary government that deposed him—with both systems ever ready to sniff out subtext that could be interpreted as criticism. "Beyzai never opted for the easy way. He endured years of exclusion, imposed silence, and exile, but he never abandoned his artistic voice and his beliefs," said Jaafar Panahi in his tribute. A Masterpiece Amidst Conflict A few years after the 1979 Revolution, he produced what many consider his magnum opus, 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 subsequent works he made in that time—but later voted by film critics as the greatest Iranian film of all time. The film was shown in a newly remastered print at this year's Venice Film Festival, winning an award for best film in the heritage category. Final Years in Exile Beyzai ultimately departed Iran in 2010 and spent his later years in the US, where he taught Persian studies. Although he went into exile, 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 tomorrow for his homeland.