Bahram Beyzaie, a multifaceted artist, was born on December 26, 1938. He is a celebrated filmmaker, playwright, theater director, screenwriter, film editor, and esteemed ostād of Persian letters, arts, and Iranian studies.
Beyzaie's family is steeped in literary tradition. His father, Ne'matallah Beyzai, was a renowned poet, best known by his literary pseudonym "Zokā'i". His paternal uncle, Adib Beyzai, was a celebrated poet, considered one of the most profound poets of 20th-century Iran. Beyzaie's paternal grandfather, Mirzā Mohammad-Rezā Ārāni, also known as "Ebn Ruh", and his paternal great-grandfather, the mulla Mohammad-Faqih Ārāni, "Ruh'ol-Amin", were both notable poets.
Although he started his cinematic career a bit later, Beyzai is often regarded as a pioneer of the Iranian New Wave. His film Bashu, the Little Stranger, released in 1986, was voted "Best Iranian Film of all time" in a 1999 poll conducted by Picture World, a Persian movie magazine, among 150 Iranian critics and professionals.
Before embarking on his cinematic journey in 1970, Beyzai was an accomplished playwright and theater historian. He is often considered the greatest playwright of the Persian language, earning the reputation as "the Shakespeare of Persia".
