🔗 Share this article Persian Cinema Giant, Bahram Beyzai, Dies At the Age of 87 Bahram Beyzai (left) with his wife, actress Mozhdeh Shamsai Widespread tributes are pouring in for the legendary Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Iranian cinema and theatre, who has died aged 87 while residing in the United States. A Nation Mourns The headlines of Iranian newspapers mourn his loss, with dissenting figures 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," remarked the exiled prince, son of the last Shah of Iran. Although Beyzai's subsequent works were prohibited in the 1980s by the theocratic government, a host of senior figures in the present administration have also paid tribute his contribution to Persian arts. A Mentor to Filmmakers Several of the current crop of Iranian filmmakers have expressed their gratitude to him. Award-winning director Jaafar Panahi noted that Beyzai showed them "how to stand up to oblivion." Beyzai avoided overtly political content in his work, both as a dramatist and a cinematic auteur, and always said he tried not to deal in overt messages. But his oeuvre over many decades sets historical, even mythic figures in conflict with authoritarian religious and political systems. Roots in Tradition From a family of celebrated poets, Beyzai was imbued in the deepest traditions of Iranian artistry from birth. He first found fame as a playwright, drawing on ancient myths and ceremonies. A lifelong fan of cinema, he transitioned to making films in the 1970s. He won renown as one of the pivotal artists in the new wave of Iranian cinema. Navigating Censorship His most productive period spanned the time of the Shah and then the Islamic theocratic forces that overthrew him—with both systems constantly poised to detect subtext that could be seen as criticism. "Beyzai never opted for the easy way. He endured years of exclusion, imposed silence, and distance, but he never abandoned his artistic voice and his convictions," said the filmmaker in his tribute. A Masterpiece Amidst Conflict A few years after the Iranian Revolution, he produced what many consider his masterpiece, Bashu, the Little Stranger, about a small boy who tries to take refuge from the devastating conflict. 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 outstanding feature in the heritage category. A Hopeful Exile Beyzai ultimately departed Iran in 2010 and spent his later years in the US, where he taught Persian studies. 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 continued to hope for a new culture and tomorrow for his native land.