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Widespread homages have been shared for Bahram Beyzai, a giant of Persian film and stage, 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 dissenting figures and those who look back fondly on the Shah era also offering their respects to Beyzai.

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

Although Beyzai's later films were banned in the 1980s by the Islamic regime, a number of senior figures in the current government have also acknowledged his legacy to Persian arts.

The Teacher of a Generation

Many 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 overtly political content in his work, both as a playwright and a cinematic auteur, and always said he tried not to trade in overt messages.

But his oeuvre over countless years sets historical, even mythic figures in conflict with authoritarian religious and political systems.

Roots in Tradition

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

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

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

He gained acclaim as one of the key figures in the new wave of Iranian cinema.

An Enduring Voice

His most productive period spanned the time of the Shah and then the revolutionary government that overthrew him—with both systems ever ready to detect hidden messages that could be seen as criticism.

"Beyzai never opted for the path of least resistance. He withstood years of marginalization, enforced quiet, and exile, but he never abandoned his artistic voice and his beliefs," stated the filmmaker in his tribute.

The Little Stranger

A few years after the Iranian Revolution, he produced what many consider his magnum opus, Bashu, the Little Stranger, about a young child 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 screened in a newly remastered print at this year's Venice Biennale, receiving an award for outstanding feature in the heritage category.

A Hopeful Exile

Beyzai ultimately departed Iran in 2010 and spent his later years in the US, where he taught Iranian culture.

Even after he went into exile, his wife, the actress Mozhdeh Shamsai, said just the sound of the word "Iran" would still make him emotional—and he remained ever hopeful for a new culture and future for his homeland.