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Profound homages have been shared for the legendary Bahram Beyzai, a colossus of Iranian cinema and theatre, who passed away at the age of 87 in the US.

A Nation Mourns

The front pages of Iranian newspapers mourn his loss, with opposition voices and those who look back fondly on the pre-revolution period also offering their respects to Beyzai.

"His passing is an immense tragedy for the art and culture of our country," said the exiled prince, the exiled 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 Iranian culture.

A Mentor to Filmmakers

Many of the current crop of Persian directors have acknowledged their debt to him. Jaafar Panahi said that Beyzai taught them "how to stand up to oblivion."

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

But his work over many decades sets archetypal characters in opposition with oppressive structures of power.

A Cultural Foundation

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

He first rose to prominence as a theater writer, inspired by Persian legend and ritual.

A devotee of cinema, he transitioned to 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 revolutionary government that deposed him—with each regime constantly poised to detect hidden messages that could be interpreted as criticism.

"Beyzai never opted for the easy way. He endured years of exclusion, imposed silence, and exile, but he did not give up his artistic voice and his beliefs," stated Jaafar Panahi in his tribute.

A Masterpiece Amidst Conflict

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 subsequent works he made in that period—but later chosen by 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.

A Hopeful Exile

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

Even after he left his homeland, his wife, the actress 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 native land.