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Profound tributes have been shared for the legendary Bahram Beyzai, a colossus of Persian film and stage, who has died at the age of 87 while residing in the United States.

A Nation Mourns

The front pages of Iranian newspapers mourn his loss, with opposition voices and those who reflect nostalgically on the Shah era also offering their respects to Beyzai.

"His passing is an immense tragedy for the art and culture of our country," remarked Prince Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the last Shah of Iran.

Although Beyzai's subsequent works 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 Iranian culture.

A Mentor to Filmmakers

Several of the contemporary generation of Iranian filmmakers have expressed their gratitude to him. Award-winning director Jaafar Panahi noted 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 film director, and always said he tried not to deal in explicit commentary.

But his work over countless years sets archetypal characters in conflict with authoritarian religious and political systems.

Roots in Tradition

From a family 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 devotee of cinema, he transitioned to making films in the 1970s.

He gained acclaim as one of the pivotal artists in the new wave of Iranian cinema.

An Enduring Voice

His most fruitful era straddled the time of the Shah and then the revolutionary government that deposed him—with both systems constantly poised to sniff out hidden messages that could be interpreted as criticism.

"Beyzai did not choose the path of least resistance. He withstood years of exclusion, imposed silence, and exile, but he did not give up his artistic voice and his convictions," said Jaafar Panahi in his tribute.

The Little Stranger

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

It was banned 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 shown in a restored version at this year's Venice Biennale, winning an award for best film in the heritage category.

Final Years in Exile

Beyzai ultimately departed 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 Shamsai, said just hearing the word "Iran" would still make him emotional—and he continued to hope for a new culture and future for his native land.