Bahrām Beyzāyi, a Cultural, Literary, Theatrical, and Cinematic Legend of Iran, Passes Away at 87

Bahrām Beyzāyi, a writer, director, researcher, and a legend of Iranian theater and cinema, passed away on December 26, 2025, exactly on his 87th birthday, in the United States. The Center for Iranian Studies at Stanford University, where Beyzāyi spent the last 15 years of his life teaching and creating, confirmed this news in a statement, calling him 'the pride of Iranian literature and art.' Beyzāyi was one of the most pioneering, independent, influential, and unique figures in Iranian culture, literature, theater, and cinema, who constantly struggled against the censorship of the Islamic Republic but never surrendered. Until the end of his fruitful life, he remained one of the most important critics of censorship, repression, and governmental identity erasure in Iran. With a profound look at myths, he created works that are unparalleled in the history of Iranian cinema. He gave powerful, wise, and activist roles to women in his films. His notable cinematic works include 'Chorike Tara,' 'Ragbar,' 'Bashu, the Little Stranger,' 'Sag-Koshi,' 'Maybe Another Time,' 'Travelers,' and 'Death of Yazdgerd.' In the field of theater and dramatic literature, he can be referred to as the architect of words. He revitalized the Persian language in his plays. Beyzāyi established a modern form of Iranian drama with mastery over Tazieh, storytelling, and traditional performances. Some of his significant works in this field include 'Fathnameh Kalat,' 'Arash,' 'The Eighth Voyage of Sinbad,' and the enduring performance of 'Tarabnameh in Exile.' He was a reviver of forgotten traditions, and many artists owe their knowledge to his reference book, 'Theater in Iran.' With historical precision, he excavated and documented the roots of Iranian performance from centuries past. In 2010, after years of enduring restrictions, bans, and difficulties in performing his works, he went to the United States at the invitation of Stanford University. In its recent statement, Stanford noted that during this time, despite being away from his homeland, he never ceased to honor Iran's cultural heritage. The statement mentioned that Beyzāyi 'considered his homeland and profession to be the world of culture' and always loved Iran beyond geographical borders. Stanford University announced that it will soon hold a grand ceremony to honor this unparalleled artist.