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Profound homages have been shared for Bahram Beyzai, a colossus of Persian film and stage, who passed away at the age of 87 while residing in the United States.

A Nation Mourns

The headlines of publications in Iran lament his loss, with dissenting figures and those who look back fondly on the Shah era also offering their respects to Beyzai.

"This loss is a great loss for the art and culture of our country," remarked the exiled prince, son of the last Shah of Iran.

Even though Beyzai's later films were prohibited in the 1980s by the Islamic regime, a host of senior figures in the present administration have also paid tribute his contribution to Iranian culture.

A Mentor to Filmmakers

Many of the current crop of Iranian filmmakers have acknowledged their debt to him. Jaafar Panahi said that Beyzai showed them "how to stand up to oblivion."

Beyzai avoided direct political references in his work, both as a playwright and a film director, and always maintained he tried not to deal in overt messages.

But his work over countless years sets archetypal characters in conflict with authoritarian religious and political systems.

A Cultural Foundation

Hailing from a lineage of renowned poets, Beyzai was imbued in the deepest traditions of Iranian artistry from birth.

He first rose to prominence as a theater writer, inspired by Persian legend and ritual.

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

He won renown 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 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 path of least resistance. He endured years of exclusion, enforced quiet, and distance, but he did not give up his artistic voice and his convictions," 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 young child who tries to find shelter from the devastating conflict.

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

The film was screened in a restored version at this year's Venice Biennale, receiving 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 lectured on Persian studies.

Even after he went into exile, his wife, the actress Shamsai, said just hearing the word "Iran" would still bring tears to his eyes—and he remained ever hopeful for a renewed spirit and tomorrow for his native land.