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Profound tributes are pouring in for the legendary Bahram Beyzai, a colossus of Persian film and stage, who has died at the age of 87 in the US.

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 an immense tragedy for the art and culture of our country," remarked the exiled prince, son of the last Shah of Iran.

Although Beyzai's subsequent works were banned in the 1980s by the theocratic government, a host of senior figures in the current government have also paid tribute his contribution to Iranian culture.

The Teacher of a Generation

Several of the contemporary generation of Persian directors have acknowledged their debt to him. Jaafar Panahi said that Beyzai taught them "the way to resist oblivion."

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

But his oeuvre over many decades places archetypal characters in opposition with oppressive religious and political systems.

Roots in Tradition

Hailing from a lineage of celebrated poets, Beyzai was imbued in the richest heritage of Iranian artistry 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 key figures in the new wave of Persian film.

Navigating Censorship

His most productive period straddled the time of the Shah and then the revolutionary government that deposed him—with each regime constantly poised to sniff out hidden messages that could be interpreted as criticism.

"Beyzai did not choose the easy way. He withstood years of marginalization, enforced quiet, and distance, but he did not give up his artistic voice and his convictions," said the filmmaker in his tribute.

The Little Stranger

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

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

The film was shown in a restored version at this year's Venice Biennale, receiving an award for outstanding feature 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 Iranian culture.

Even after he left his homeland, his wife, the actress Shamsai, said just the sound of the word "Iran" would still make him emotional—and he remained ever hopeful for a new culture and tomorrow for his native land.