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Widespread homages are pouring in for Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Persian film and stage, who has died at the age of 87 while residing in the United States.

Homeland in Mourning

The front pages of Iranian newspapers mourn his loss, with dissenting figures and those who reflect nostalgically on the pre-revolution period also offering their respects to Beyzai.

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

Although Beyzai's later films 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 Persian arts.

The Teacher of a Generation

Several of the contemporary generation of Persian directors have expressed their gratitude to him. Jaafar Panahi said that Beyzai showed them "how to stand up to oblivion."

Beyzai steered clear of overtly political content in his work, both as a playwright and a cinematic auteur, and always said he tried not to deal in explicit commentary.

But his work over many decades sets archetypal characters in conflict with oppressive religious and political systems.

Roots in Tradition

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

He first found fame as a playwright, drawing on ancient myths and ceremonies.

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

He won renown as one of the pivotal artists in the groundbreaking movement of Persian film.

Navigating Censorship

His most fruitful era straddled the time of the Shah and then the revolutionary government that deposed him—with each regime constantly poised to detect subtext that could be interpreted as criticism.

"Beyzai never opted for the path of least resistance. He withstood years of marginalization, imposed silence, and exile, but he never abandoned his artistic voice and his convictions," said Jaafar Panahi in his tribute.

The Little Stranger

A few years after the 1979 Revolution, he produced what many regard as his masterpiece, Bashu, the Little Stranger, about a small boy who tries to find shelter from the devastating conflict.

It was censored in Iran—as were subsequent works he made in that period—but later voted by critics as the greatest Iranian film of all time.

The film was screened in a restored version 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 lectured on 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 continued to hope for a new culture and future for his homeland.