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Profound homages have been shared for Bahram Beyzai, a colossus of Persian film and stage, who passed away at the age of 87 in the US.

Homeland in Mourning

The headlines of publications in Iran mourn his loss, with opposition voices and those who reflect nostalgically 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," said Prince Reza Pahlavi, son of the last Shah of Iran.

Although Beyzai's subsequent works were banned in the 1980s by the Islamic regime, a host of senior figures in the present administration have also acknowledged his contribution to Persian arts.

The Teacher of a Generation

Several of the contemporary generation of Iranian filmmakers have expressed their gratitude to him. Award-winning director Jaafar Panahi noted that Beyzai showed them "the way to resist oblivion."

Beyzai avoided direct political references 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 many decades places archetypal characters in conflict with oppressive religious and political systems.

A Cultural Foundation

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

He first found fame as a playwright, inspired by ancient myths and ceremonies.

A lifelong fan 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.

An Enduring Voice

His most productive period straddled the time of the Shah and then the Islamic theocratic forces that overthrew him—with each regime constantly poised to detect hidden messages that could be seen as dissent.

"Beyzai never opted for the path of least resistance. He endured years of exclusion, enforced quiet, and exile, but he never abandoned his language and his convictions," stated Jaafar Panahi in his tribute.

The Little Stranger

A few years after the Iranian Revolution, he produced what many regard as his magnum opus, Bashu, the Little Stranger, about a small boy who tries to find shelter from the Iran-Iraq war.

It was banned in Iran—as were subsequent works he made in that period—but later voted by critics as the greatest Iranian film of all time.

The film was screened in a newly remastered print at this year's Venice Film Festival, 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 Persian studies.

Although he went into exile, his wife, the actress Shamsai, said just the sound of the word "Iran" would still bring tears to his eyes—and he remained ever hopeful for a renewed spirit and tomorrow for his native land.