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Widespread tributes are pouring in for the legendary Bahram Beyzai, a colossus of Iranian cinema and theatre, who has died at the age of 87 while residing in the United States.

A Nation Mourns

The front pages of publications in Iran mourn his loss, with dissenting figures and those who reflect nostalgically on the pre-revolution period also paying homage to Beyzai.

"This loss is a great loss for the cultural heritage of our country," said the exiled prince, the exiled 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 present administration have also paid tribute his contribution to Persian arts.

The Teacher of a Generation

Several of the current crop of Persian directors have expressed their gratitude to him. Jaafar Panahi noted that Beyzai showed them "the way to resist oblivion."

Beyzai avoided direct political references in his work, both as a dramatist and a film director, and always said he tried not to deal in overt messages.

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

Roots in Tradition

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

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

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 Iranian cinema.

An Enduring Voice

His most fruitful era spanned 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 dissent.

"Beyzai did not choose the easy way. He withstood years of marginalization, imposed silence, and exile, but he never abandoned his artistic voice and his beliefs," stated Jaafar Panahi in his tribute.

A Masterpiece Amidst Conflict

A few years after the 1979 Revolution, he produced what many consider his masterpiece, 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 voted by critics as the greatest Iranian film of all time.

The film was shown in a newly remastered print at this year's Venice Biennale, winning an award for outstanding feature in the classics section.

A Hopeful Exile

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

Although he went into exile, his wife, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai, said just hearing the word "Iran" would still make him emotional—and he remained ever hopeful for a new culture and future for his native land.