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Profound tributes are pouring in for Bahram Beyzai, a colossus of Iranian cinema and theatre, who passed away at the age of 87 in the US.

A Nation Mourns

The front pages of Iranian newspapers mourn his loss, with opposition voices and those who look back fondly on the pre-revolution period also offering their respects to Beyzai.

"His passing is an immense tragedy for the cultural heritage of our country," remarked the exiled prince, the exiled son of the last Shah of Iran.

Even though Beyzai's subsequent works were prohibited in the 1980s by the Islamic regime, a host of prominent officials in the current government have also paid tribute his legacy to Iranian culture.

A Mentor to Filmmakers

Many of the current crop of Iranian filmmakers have expressed their gratitude to him. Award-winning director 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 film director, and always maintained he tried not to deal in overt messages.

But his oeuvre over countless years sets historical, even mythic figures in conflict with authoritarian structures of power.

A Cultural Foundation

From a family 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 key figures in the groundbreaking movement of Persian film.

An Enduring Voice

His most fruitful era straddled the time of the Shah and then the Islamic theocratic forces that deposed him—with both systems ever ready to detect hidden messages that could be seen as criticism.

"Beyzai did not choose the easy way. He endured years of marginalization, imposed silence, and distance, but he never abandoned his language and his beliefs," stated 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 find shelter from the Iran-Iraq war.

It was censored in Iran—as were other films he made in that period—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 heritage category.

Final Years in Exile

Beyzai finally left Iran in 2010 and lived out his final days in the US, where he taught Persian studies.

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 tomorrow for his homeland.