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

Homeland in Mourning

The headlines of publications in Iran mourn his loss, with opposition voices and those who look back fondly 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, son of the last Shah of Iran.

Even though Beyzai's later films were prohibited in the 1980s by the theocratic government, a number of senior figures in the present administration have also paid tribute his legacy to Iranian culture.

The Teacher of a Generation

Several of the current crop of Persian directors have acknowledged their debt to him. Jaafar Panahi noted that Beyzai showed them "how to stand up to oblivion."

Beyzai avoided direct political references in his work, both as a dramatist and a cinematic auteur, and always maintained he tried not to trade in explicit commentary.

But his oeuvre over countless years places historical, even mythic figures in conflict with oppressive structures of power.

A Cultural Foundation

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

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

A lifelong fan of cinema, he transitioned to making films in the 1970s.

He gained acclaim as one of the pivotal artists in the new wave of Persian film.

An Enduring Voice

His most fruitful era spanned the time of the Shah and then the Islamic theocratic forces that overthrew him—with each regime ever ready to sniff out subtext that could be interpreted as dissent.

"Beyzai never opted for the path of least resistance. He endured years of exclusion, enforced quiet, and distance, but he never abandoned his artistic voice and his convictions," stated Jaafar Panahi in his tribute.

The Little Stranger

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

It was banned 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 shown in a newly remastered print at this year's Venice Film Festival, receiving an award for outstanding feature in the classics section.

Final Years in Exile

Beyzai finally left Iran in 2010 and spent his later years in the US, where he lectured on Iranian culture.

Even after he left his homeland, his wife, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai, said just hearing 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.