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Widespread homages are pouring in for Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Iranian cinema and theatre, who passed away at the age of 87 while residing in the United States.

A Nation Mourns

The front pages 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.

"This loss is a great loss for the cultural heritage 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 Islamic regime, a host of senior figures in the current government have also paid tribute his contribution to Persian arts.

A Mentor to Filmmakers

Many of the current crop of Iranian filmmakers have expressed their gratitude to him. Jaafar Panahi said that Beyzai taught 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 maintained he tried not to trade in overt messages.

But his oeuvre over many decades places historical, even mythic figures in conflict with authoritarian religious and political systems.

A Cultural Foundation

Hailing from a lineage of renowned poets, Beyzai was steeped in the richest heritage of Persian culture from birth.

He first rose to prominence as a theater writer, drawing on Persian legend and ritual.

A devotee of cinema, he moved into filmmaking 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 deposed him—with both systems ever ready to sniff out subtext that could be seen as criticism.

"Beyzai did not choose the path of least resistance. He endured years of exclusion, enforced quiet, and distance, but he did not give up his artistic voice and his beliefs," stated Jaafar Panahi in his tribute.

A Masterpiece Amidst Conflict

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

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

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

Final Years in Exile

Beyzai finally left Iran in 2010 and lived out his final days in the US, where he taught Persian studies.

Even after he went into exile, his wife, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai, said just the sound of the word "Iran" would still make him emotional—and he remained ever hopeful for a new culture and future for his native land.