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Widespread tributes are pouring in for the legendary Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Persian film and stage, who passed away at the age of 87 in the US.

Homeland in Mourning

The front pages of publications in Iran mourn his loss, with dissenting figures and those who look back fondly on the pre-revolution period also offering their respects 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.

Even though Beyzai's subsequent works were banned in the 1980s by the theocratic government, a host of senior figures in the current government have also acknowledged his contribution to Persian arts.

A Mentor to Filmmakers

Many of the current crop of Persian directors have expressed their gratitude to him. Jaafar Panahi said that Beyzai taught them "the way to resist oblivion."

Beyzai steered clear of direct political references in his work, both as a playwright and a cinematic auteur, and always maintained he tried not to deal in overt messages.

But his oeuvre over many decades sets historical, even mythic figures in opposition with oppressive structures of power.

A Cultural Foundation

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, drawing on ancient myths and ceremonies.

A devotee of cinema, he transitioned to filmmaking in the 1970s.

He won renown as one of the pivotal artists in the groundbreaking movement of Persian film.

An Enduring Voice

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

"Beyzai never opted for the path of least resistance. He withstood years of marginalization, enforced quiet, and exile, but he did not give up his language and his beliefs," said Jaafar Panahi in his tribute.

The Little Stranger

A few years after the 1979 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 banned in Iran—as were subsequent works he made in that time—but later voted by critics as the greatest Iranian film of all time.

The film was shown in a newly remastered print at this year's Venice Biennale, receiving an award for outstanding feature in the heritage category.

Final Years in Exile

Beyzai ultimately departed Iran in 2010 and lived out his final days in the US, where he taught Iranian culture.

Even after he went into exile, his wife, the actress Shamsai, said just hearing the word "Iran" would still make him emotional—and he remained ever hopeful for a new culture and tomorrow for his homeland.