Persian Cinema Giant, Beyzai, Dies Aged 87

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

A Nation Mourns

The headlines of Iranian newspapers mourn 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 cultural heritage of our country," said Prince Reza Pahlavi, son of the last Shah of Iran.

Although Beyzai's subsequent works were banned in the 1980s by the Islamic regime, a number of prominent officials in the current government have also paid tribute his legacy to Persian arts.

A Mentor to Filmmakers

Several of the current crop of Persian directors have acknowledged their debt to him. Jaafar Panahi noted that Beyzai taught 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 trade in explicit commentary.

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

A Cultural Foundation

From a family of celebrated poets, Beyzai was steeped in the deepest traditions of Persian culture from birth.

He first found fame as a theater writer, inspired by ancient myths and ceremonies.

A lifelong fan of cinema, he moved into filmmaking in the 1970s.

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

Navigating Censorship

His most productive period straddled the time of the Shah and then the Islamic theocratic forces that overthrew him—with both systems constantly poised to detect subtext that could be interpreted as dissent.

"Beyzai never opted for the easy way. He endured years of marginalization, enforced quiet, and exile, but he did not give up his language and his beliefs," stated Jaafar Panahi in his tribute.

A Masterpiece Amidst Conflict

A few years after the 1979 Revolution, he produced what many consider his masterpiece, 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 screened in a newly remastered print at this year's Venice Film Festival, receiving an award for outstanding feature in the classics section.

A Hopeful Exile

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

Although he went into exile, 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 homeland.