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Profound tributes are pouring in for the legendary Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Iranian cinema and theatre, who has died aged 87 in the US.

A Nation Mourns

The front pages of Iranian newspapers mourn his loss, with dissenting figures and those who look back fondly 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.

Even though Beyzai's subsequent works were banned in the 1980s by the theocratic government, a number of prominent officials in the current government have also paid tribute his contribution to Persian arts.

A Mentor to Filmmakers

Many of the contemporary generation of Persian directors have expressed their gratitude to him. Award-winning director Jaafar Panahi noted that Beyzai showed them "the way to resist oblivion."

Beyzai avoided overtly political content in his work, both as a playwright and a film director, and always maintained he tried not to trade in overt messages.

But his oeuvre over many decades sets archetypal characters in opposition with authoritarian structures of power.

Roots in Tradition

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

He first found fame as a playwright, inspired by ancient myths and ceremonies.

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

He won renown as one of the pivotal artists in the new wave of Iranian cinema.

An Enduring Voice

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

"Beyzai never opted for the path of least resistance. He endured years of exclusion, imposed silence, and exile, but he never abandoned his artistic voice and his convictions," stated 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 young child who tries to take refuge 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 greatest Iranian film of all time.

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

A Hopeful Exile

Beyzai ultimately departed Iran in 2010 and spent his later years in the US, where he lectured on Persian studies.

Although he went into exile, his wife, the actress Shamsai, said just the sound of the word "Iran" would still bring tears to his eyes—and he remained ever hopeful for a new culture and tomorrow for his homeland.