Persian Cinema Giant, Beyzai, Passes Away At the Age of 87

Widespread homages have been shared for Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Persian film and stage, who has died aged 87 while residing in the United States.

Homeland in Mourning

The front pages of Iranian newspapers lament his loss, with opposition voices and those who reflect nostalgically on the pre-revolution period also paying homage to Beyzai.

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

Although Beyzai's later films were prohibited in the 1980s by the Islamic regime, a number of senior figures in the present administration have also acknowledged his legacy to Iranian culture.

A Mentor to Filmmakers

Many of the current crop of Persian directors have expressed their gratitude to him. Jaafar Panahi noted that Beyzai showed them "how to stand up to 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 explicit commentary.

But his oeuvre over many decades sets historical, even mythic figures in conflict with oppressive religious and political systems.

A Cultural Foundation

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

He first found fame as a theater writer, drawing on Persian legend and ritual.

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

He gained acclaim as one of the key figures in the new wave of Iranian cinema.

Navigating Censorship

His most productive period spanned the time of the Shah and then the Islamic theocratic forces that deposed him—with both systems ever ready to sniff out hidden messages that could be seen as dissent.

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

A Masterpiece Amidst Conflict

A few years after the Iranian Revolution, he produced what many consider his masterpiece, Bashu, the Little Stranger, about a small boy who tries to take refuge from the Iran-Iraq war.

It was banned 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 Film Festival, receiving an award for best film in the classics section.

Final Years in Exile

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

Even after he left his homeland, his wife, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai, said just the sound of the word "Iran" would still bring tears to his eyes—and he remained ever hopeful for a new culture and future for his native land.