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Profound homages are pouring in 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 front pages of publications in Iran lament his loss, with dissenting figures and those who reflect nostalgically on the pre-revolution period also paying homage to Beyzai.

"His passing is an immense tragedy for the cultural heritage of our country," remarked Prince Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the last Shah of Iran.

Even though Beyzai's subsequent works were banned in the 1980s by the Islamic regime, a host of prominent officials in the present administration have also acknowledged his legacy to Persian arts.

A Mentor to Filmmakers

Several of the contemporary generation of Persian directors have acknowledged their debt to him. Award-winning director Jaafar Panahi said that Beyzai showed them "how to stand up to oblivion."

Beyzai avoided overtly political content in his work, both as a playwright and a cinematic auteur, and always maintained he tried not to deal in explicit commentary.

But his work over many decades sets archetypal characters in opposition with oppressive structures of power.

A Cultural Foundation

Hailing from a lineage of celebrated poets, Beyzai was imbued in the deepest traditions of Iranian artistry from birth.

He first found fame as a theater writer, inspired by 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 fruitful era straddled the time of the Shah and then the revolutionary government that deposed him—with each regime ever ready to sniff out subtext that could be seen as criticism.

"Beyzai did not choose the path of least resistance. He withstood years of exclusion, imposed silence, and distance, but he never abandoned his artistic voice and his beliefs," stated the filmmaker in his tribute.

The Little Stranger

A few years after the 1979 Revolution, he produced what many regard as his masterpiece, Bashu, the Little Stranger, about a small boy who tries to find shelter from the devastating conflict.

It was censored in Iran—as were other films he made in that time—but later voted by critics as the best Iranian film of all time.

The film was shown in a newly remastered print at this year's Venice Film Festival, receiving an award for best film 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 taught Iranian culture.

Although he left his homeland, his wife, the actress Shamsai, said just hearing the word "Iran" would still bring tears to his eyes—and he remained ever hopeful for a new culture and tomorrow for his native land.