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Widespread homages are pouring in for Bahram Beyzai, a colossus of Persian film and stage, who has died aged 87 while residing in the United States.

Homeland in Mourning

The headlines of Iranian newspapers mourn his loss, with dissenting figures and those who look back fondly on the pre-revolution period also paying homage to Beyzai.

"His passing is an immense tragedy for the cultural heritage of our country," remarked Prince Reza Pahlavi, son of the last Shah of Iran.

Even though Beyzai's subsequent works were prohibited in the 1980s by the theocratic government, a number of prominent officials in the present administration have also acknowledged his contribution to Persian arts.

A Mentor to Filmmakers

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

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

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

Roots in Tradition

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

He first found fame as a playwright, inspired by Persian legend and ritual.

A lifelong fan of cinema, he moved into making films in the 1970s.

He won renown as one of the key figures in the new wave of Iranian cinema.

An Enduring Voice

His most productive period 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 interpreted as criticism.

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

The Little Stranger

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

It was censored in Iran—as were other films he made in that time—but later chosen by film critics as the best Iranian film of all time.

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

Final Years in Exile

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

Even after he went into exile, his wife, the actress Shamsai, said just hearing the word "Iran" would still bring tears to his eyes—and he continued to hope for a new culture and future for his native land.