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Profound homages have been shared for the legendary Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Iranian cinema and theatre, who has died aged 87 in the US.

A Nation Mourns

The headlines of publications in Iran lament his loss, with opposition voices and those who look back fondly on the pre-revolution period also paying homage to Beyzai.

"His passing is a great loss for the art and culture of our country," said the exiled prince, son of the last Shah of Iran.

Even though Beyzai's later films were prohibited in the 1980s by the theocratic government, a number of prominent officials in the current government have also acknowledged his legacy to Persian arts.

The Teacher of a Generation

Several of the contemporary generation of Persian directors have acknowledged their debt to him. Award-winning director Jaafar Panahi said that Beyzai showed them "the way to resist oblivion."

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

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

Roots in Tradition

From a family of renowned poets, Beyzai was imbued in the deepest traditions of Persian culture from birth.

He first rose to prominence as a theater writer, inspired by ancient myths and ceremonies.

A devotee of cinema, he moved into filmmaking in the 1970s.

He gained acclaim as one of the pivotal artists in the groundbreaking movement of Iranian cinema.

An Enduring Voice

His most productive period spanned the time of the Shah and then the Islamic theocratic forces that overthrew him—with both systems constantly poised to detect subtext that could be seen as criticism.

"Beyzai did not choose the path of least resistance. He endured years of exclusion, imposed silence, and distance, but he did not give up his artistic voice and his beliefs," said the filmmaker 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 take refuge from the devastating conflict.

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

The film was screened in a restored version at this year's Venice Biennale, winning an award for best film in the classics section.

Final Years in Exile

Beyzai ultimately departed Iran in 2010 and lived out his final days in the US, where he taught Persian studies.

Although he left his homeland, his wife, the actress Shamsai, said just the sound of the word "Iran" would still make him emotional—and he continued to hope for a new culture and future for his homeland.