🔗 Share this article

Widespread homages have been shared for Bahram Beyzai, a colossus of Persian film and stage, who has died aged 87 while residing in the United States.

A Nation Mourns

The front pages of Iranian newspapers lament 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," remarked the exiled prince, 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 current government have also paid tribute his legacy to Persian arts.

A Mentor to Filmmakers

Several of the current crop of Persian directors have expressed their gratitude to him. Award-winning director Jaafar Panahi noted that Beyzai taught them "how to stand up to oblivion."

Beyzai steered clear of overtly political content in his work, both as a dramatist and a film director, and always said he tried not to trade in overt messages.

But his work over many decades sets archetypal characters in opposition with authoritarian religious and political systems.

Roots in Tradition

From a family of celebrated poets, Beyzai was steeped in the richest heritage of Iranian artistry from birth.

He first found fame as a theater writer, inspired by Persian legend and ritual.

A lifelong fan of cinema, he moved into making films in the 1970s.

He gained acclaim as one of the key figures in the groundbreaking movement of Iranian cinema.

An Enduring Voice

His most productive period spanned the time of the Shah and then the revolutionary government that overthrew him—with both systems ever ready to detect hidden messages that could be interpreted as dissent.

"Beyzai did not choose the easy way. He withstood years of marginalization, imposed silence, and exile, but he never abandoned his artistic voice and his convictions," stated the filmmaker in his tribute.

A Masterpiece Amidst Conflict

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

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

The film was screened in a restored version at this year's Venice Biennale, winning an award for best film in the heritage category.

A Hopeful Exile

Beyzai finally left 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 Mozhdeh 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 homeland.