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Profound tributes have been shared for Bahram Beyzai, a colossus of Iranian cinema and theatre, who has died at the age of 87 in the US.

Homeland in Mourning

The front pages of publications in Iran mourn 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 cultural heritage of our country," remarked Prince Reza Pahlavi, son of the last Shah of Iran.

Although Beyzai's later films were prohibited in the 1980s by the Islamic regime, a host of prominent officials in the present administration have also paid tribute his legacy to Persian arts.

A Mentor to Filmmakers

Many of the contemporary generation of Iranian filmmakers have acknowledged their debt to him. Jaafar Panahi noted 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 deal in overt messages.

But his oeuvre over many decades sets historical, even mythic figures in opposition with oppressive structures of power.

Roots in Tradition

Hailing from a lineage of renowned poets, Beyzai was imbued in the richest heritage of Iranian artistry from birth.

He first rose to prominence as a playwright, drawing on Persian legend and ritual.

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 Persian film.

An Enduring Voice

His most fruitful era straddled the time of the Shah and then the Islamic theocratic forces that overthrew him—with each regime ever ready to detect subtext that could be seen as dissent.

"Beyzai did not choose the easy way. He withstood years of marginalization, imposed silence, and exile, but he did not give up his language and his convictions," said the filmmaker 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 time—but later voted by 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 outstanding feature 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 Mozhdeh Shamsai, said just hearing the word "Iran" would still make him emotional—and he continued to hope for a renewed spirit and tomorrow for his homeland.