Iranian Cinema Titan, Bahram Beyzai, Dies At the Age of 87

Profound tributes are pouring in for the legendary Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Iranian cinema and theatre, who passed away aged 87 in the US.

Homeland in Mourning

The front pages of Iranian newspapers lament his loss, with dissenting figures and those who reflect nostalgically on the Shah era also paying homage to Beyzai.

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

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

The Teacher of a Generation

Several of the contemporary generation of Persian directors have acknowledged their debt to him. Award-winning director Jaafar Panahi said that Beyzai showed them "the way to resist 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 explicit commentary.

But his oeuvre over many decades places archetypal characters in conflict with authoritarian structures of power.

Roots in Tradition

From a family of renowned poets, Beyzai was steeped 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 lifelong fan of cinema, he moved into making films in the 1970s.

He gained acclaim as one of the key figures in the new wave of Persian film.

An Enduring Voice

His most fruitful era straddled the time of the Shah and then the revolutionary government that deposed him—with both systems constantly poised to detect subtext that could be interpreted as criticism.

"Beyzai did not choose the path of least resistance. He withstood years of exclusion, enforced quiet, and distance, but he never abandoned his language and his beliefs," stated Jaafar Panahi in his tribute.

The Little Stranger

A few years after the Iranian Revolution, he produced what many consider his magnum opus, Bashu, the Little Stranger, about a small boy 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 chosen by critics as the greatest 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 best film in the heritage category.

Final Years in Exile

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

Although he went into exile, his wife, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai, said just hearing the word "Iran" would still make him emotional—and he continued to hope for a new culture and future for his homeland.