🔗 Share this article Persian Film Titan, Beyzai, Passes Away Aged 87 Beyzai pictured alongside his spouse, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai Widespread tributes are pouring in for Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Persian film and stage, who passed away aged 87 in the US. Homeland in Mourning The headlines of publications in Iran lament 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 cultural heritage of our country," said the exiled prince, the exiled son of the last Shah of Iran. Even though 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 contribution to Iranian culture. A Mentor to Filmmakers Many of the current crop 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 steered clear of direct political references in his work, both as a playwright and a cinematic auteur, and always maintained he tried not to deal in overt messages. But his work over countless years places archetypal characters in conflict with oppressive structures of power. A Cultural Foundation From a family of renowned poets, Beyzai was imbued in the deepest traditions of Persian culture from birth. He first found fame as a theater writer, inspired by ancient myths and ceremonies. A lifelong fan 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. An Enduring Voice His most productive period spanned the time of the Shah and then the Islamic theocratic forces that deposed him—with each regime constantly poised to detect hidden messages that could be seen as criticism. "Beyzai did not choose the easy way. He withstood years of marginalization, imposed silence, and distance, but he did not give up 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 young child who tries to find shelter from the devastating conflict. It was censored in Iran—as were subsequent works he made in that period—but later voted by critics as the best 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 classics section. A Hopeful Exile Beyzai finally left Iran in 2010 and lived out his final days in the US, where he taught Iranian culture. Even after he went into exile, his wife, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai, said just hearing the word "Iran" would still make him emotional—and he remained ever hopeful for a renewed spirit and tomorrow for his native land.