TEHRAN – The University of St. Andrews in Scotland awarded an Honorary Doctorate (Doctor of Letters) to acclaimed Iranian director and playwright Bahram Beizai on June 22.

The director was honored along with eleven other distinguished individuals from different countries between June 20 and 23, the university has announced on its website.

Beizai’s award ceremony was followed by a two-day workshop on June 23 and 24 to celebrate his unique, scholarly and creative contributions to Iranian culture, cinema and theater over the last 55 years.

The event includes the presentation of several academic papers on Beizai’s cinema and theater, the screening of his first full-length feature film “Ragbar” (Downpour 1972) and a solo performance of the first part of his play “The One Thousand and First Night” (2003) by his actress wife, Mojdeh Shamsai.

The workshop has been funded by the School of Modern Languages (University of St. Andrews), Institute of Iranian Studies (University of St. Andrews), and the Honeyman Foundation.

The lectures and film screening session have been arranged by Saeed Talajooy, an Iranian lecturer in Persian Literature at the School of Modern Languages. 

Beizai is an acclaimed Iranian film director and playwright. He has authored over seventy books in Persian, including plays and screenplays, histories and research works, as well as interviews and stories. His first feature film, “Downpour”, is regarded as one of the most successful Iranian films ever made. Beizai is also an influential director and innovator of the Iranian New Wave movement of cinema.

Photo: Director and playwright Bahram Beizai in an undated photo 

RM/YAW