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Widespread homages are pouring in for Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Persian film and stage, who has died aged 87 in the US.

Homeland in Mourning

The front pages of publications in Iran lament his loss, with dissenting figures and those who look back fondly on the Shah era also offering their respects to Beyzai.

"This loss is an immense tragedy for the cultural heritage of our country," remarked 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 number of senior figures in the present administration have also paid tribute his contribution to Persian arts.

The Teacher of a Generation

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

Beyzai steered clear of direct political references in his work, both as a dramatist and a film director, and always maintained he tried not to trade in overt messages.

But his work over many decades sets historical, even mythic figures in opposition with oppressive religious and political systems.

A Cultural Foundation

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

He first rose to prominence as a theater writer, inspired by 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 Iranian cinema.

An Enduring Voice

His most fruitful era straddled the time of the Shah and then the Islamic theocratic forces that deposed him—with each regime constantly poised to detect hidden messages that could be seen as dissent.

"Beyzai did not choose the easy way. He endured years of marginalization, imposed silence, and distance, but he did not give up his artistic voice and his convictions," stated the filmmaker in his tribute.

A Masterpiece Amidst Conflict

A few years after the 1979 Revolution, he produced what many regard as his magnum opus, Bashu, the Little Stranger, about a young child who tries to find shelter from the Iran-Iraq war.

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

The film was shown in a newly remastered print at this year's Venice Film Festival, winning an award for best film in the heritage category.

A Hopeful Exile

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

Even after he went into exile, his wife, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai, said just the sound of the word "Iran" would still make him emotional—and he remained ever hopeful for a new culture and future for his homeland.