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Profound homages have been shared for the legendary Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Iranian cinema and theatre, who passed away at the age of 87 in the US.

A Nation Mourns

The headlines of Iranian newspapers mourn his loss, with opposition voices and those who reflect nostalgically on the Shah era also offering their respects to Beyzai.

"This loss is an immense tragedy for the cultural heritage of our country," said Prince Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the last Shah of Iran.

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

The Teacher of a Generation

Several of the current crop of Iranian filmmakers have acknowledged their debt to him. Jaafar Panahi noted that Beyzai showed them "the way to resist 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 work over countless years places archetypal characters in conflict with authoritarian religious and political systems.

A Cultural Foundation

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 transitioned to filmmaking in the 1970s.

He gained acclaim as one of the pivotal artists in the groundbreaking movement of Iranian cinema.

An Enduring Voice

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 sniff out subtext that could be seen as dissent.

"Beyzai never opted for the easy way. He withstood years of marginalization, enforced quiet, and exile, but he did not give up his artistic voice and his beliefs," said the filmmaker in his tribute.

A Masterpiece Amidst Conflict

A few years after the Iranian Revolution, he produced what many regard as his magnum opus, Bashu, the Little Stranger, about a small boy who tries to find shelter from the Iran-Iraq war.

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

The film was shown in a restored version at this year's Venice Biennale, winning an award for outstanding feature in the classics section.

Final Years in Exile

Beyzai ultimately departed Iran in 2010 and spent his later years 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 continued to hope for a new culture and tomorrow for his native land.