Persian Film Giant, Beyzai, Passes Away Aged 87

Profound tributes are pouring in for Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Persian film and stage, who passed away aged 87 while residing in the United States.

A Nation Mourns

The front pages of publications in Iran lament his loss, with opposition voices and those who reflect nostalgically on the Shah era also paying homage to Beyzai.

"His passing is a great loss for the art and culture of our country," said Prince Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the last Shah of Iran.

Even though Beyzai's later films were banned in the 1980s by the Islamic regime, a host of prominent officials in the present administration have also paid tribute his legacy to Iranian culture.

A Mentor to Filmmakers

Many of the current crop of Persian directors have acknowledged their debt to him. Jaafar Panahi said that Beyzai taught 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 said he tried not to trade in overt messages.

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

Roots in Tradition

Hailing from a lineage of celebrated poets, Beyzai was imbued in the deepest traditions of Persian culture from birth.

He first found fame as a theater writer, drawing on 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 groundbreaking movement of Persian film.

An Enduring Voice

His most productive period straddled the time of the Shah and then the revolutionary government that overthrew him—with both systems constantly poised to sniff out hidden messages that could be seen as criticism.

"Beyzai did not choose the easy way. He endured years of marginalization, imposed silence, and exile, but he never abandoned his language and his beliefs," said the filmmaker in his tribute.

A Masterpiece Amidst Conflict

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

It was censored in Iran—as were subsequent works he made in that time—but later chosen by film 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 best film in the classics section.

A Hopeful Exile

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

Although he left his homeland, his wife, the actress Shamsai, said just the sound of the word "Iran" would still bring tears to his eyes—and he remained ever hopeful for a renewed spirit and future for his homeland.