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Widespread homages are pouring in for the legendary Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Iranian cinema and theatre, who passed away aged 87 while residing in the United States.

Homeland in Mourning

The headlines of Iranian newspapers mourn his loss, with dissenting figures and those who look back fondly on the pre-revolution period also paying homage to Beyzai.

"This loss is an immense tragedy for the cultural heritage of our country," said Prince Reza Pahlavi, son of the last Shah of Iran.

Even though Beyzai's later films were banned in the 1980s by the theocratic government, a number of senior figures in the current government have also acknowledged his legacy to Iranian culture.

The Teacher of a Generation

Several of the contemporary generation of Iranian filmmakers have expressed their gratitude to him. Jaafar Panahi said that Beyzai taught 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 work over countless years sets archetypal characters in conflict with oppressive structures of power.

Roots in Tradition

Hailing from a lineage of celebrated poets, Beyzai was steeped in the richest heritage of Persian culture from birth.

He first rose to prominence as a theater writer, drawing on Persian legend and ritual.

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

He won renown as one of the key figures in the groundbreaking movement of Iranian cinema.

Navigating Censorship

His most fruitful era straddled the time of the Shah and then the revolutionary government that overthrew him—with both systems ever ready to detect hidden messages that could be interpreted as dissent.

"Beyzai never opted for the path of least resistance. He endured years of marginalization, imposed silence, and distance, but he did not give up his artistic voice and his beliefs," stated the filmmaker in his tribute.

The Little Stranger

A few years after the Iranian Revolution, he produced what many regard as his magnum opus, Bashu, the Little Stranger, about a small boy who tries to take refuge from the devastating conflict.

It was censored in Iran—as were other films he made in that period—but later chosen 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, winning an award for best film in the classics section.

A Hopeful Exile

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

Although he left his homeland, his wife, the actress Shamsai, said just hearing the word "Iran" would still make him emotional—and he continued to hope for a new culture and tomorrow for his native land.