Life and Works of Iranian Director, Bahram Beizaie

TEXT:

1938:

• Born in Tehran, Dec. 26
• Wrote two plays with a historical diction in latest years of his high school. Wrote first version of `Arash' (narration).

• Closely followed up new Iranian plays which occasionally appeared on TV or sometimes on the scene;
• Published articles on cinema in the periodical "Science and Life"; - Carried out studies in the oriental drama;
• Waited for one year before entering the university and studying Iranian literature;
• Made research in Shahnameh and pre-Islamic period as well as Iranian mythology and demography;
• Acutely studied Persian prose; studied Iranian paintings to deduce the visual methods used for expressing a particular culture;
• Wrote Azhdhak (narration);
• Was accepted in Tehran university's literature course;
• Got a job in the notary public organization in the town of Damavand; - Discovered effigy and imitation as a means of expressing contemporary issues;
• Left university;
• Published writings on films, plays, and film music in artistic, literary and intellectual periodicals;
• Published first articles on Ta'zieh (a form of play narrating religious events especially that of Karbala) in "art and cinema" periodical and "arash" seasonal periodical;
• Carried out a vain effort to direct a short film the scheme of which was published later;
• Transferred his job from Damavand to Tehran;
• Started writing "Record of Bandar Bidakhsh" (narration) which was left unfinished.

• Wrote the scheme of the short film "Sleepwalker";
• Directed (and was cameraman of) an 8 mm four-minute film in black and white with almost no expenses;
• Published a research on "Drama in Iran" in the "Music" periodical;
• Changed his place of work from the notary public organization to the bureau of dramatic arts (affiliated to general office of fine arts) which later changed its title into the bureau of theater programs (affiliated to the ministry of culture and arts);
• Came in close contact with the new dramatic groups and worked as set manager, director assistant and set designer;
• Published critical and research articles in the Arash magazine and Kayhan monthly;
• Occasional cinematography and working with cameras borrowed from friends [8 mm in color and 16 mm in black and white] and acquiring the great experience of film editing;
• Wrote the one-act plays of `Scarecrows at Night', `Dolls' and `Sunset in an Alien Land' the two first of which were published in one volume.

• Continued publishing research on "Drama in Iran" in the Music periodical;
• Published three puppet plays (for the live actors) including `Dolls', `Sunset in an Alien Land' and `The Story of the Hidden Moon'
• Wrote `Pahlavan Akbar Dies' (play)
• Re-wrote Arash (narration)

• `Sunset in an Alien Land' was performed by the National Arts Group in Iranian television;
• Wrote `The Eighth Trip of Sinbad' (play);
• Published a series of research articles on "Drama in Japan" (translated texts as a joint work with Dariush Ashuri and Sohrab Sepehri) in the "Music" periodical and then published them as a separate work;
• `Sunset in an Alien Land" and `The Story of the Hidden Moon' were performed on stage in oil rich regions of southern Iran by the National Arts Group;
• `Sunset in an Alien Land' and `The Story of the Hidden Moon' were performed in Paris Festival of Nations Drama (in the city's Sara Bernhardt hall) by the National Arts Group. This is also the playwright's first visit to a foreign country (20 days) in which he acts as the stage manager as well.
• A failed attempt to direct a `new' Japanese drama called Atsumuri.
• `Pahlavan Akbar Dies' performed on stage by the National Arts Group in Shahrivar-25 hall which later changed name into Sangalaj Hall.
• Moved from the theater to radio.
• "Drama in Iran" published in a separate volume.
• Wrote the plot of the screenplay `Man and the Field' which was never made into a film.
• Wrote and published `The Journalistic World of Mr. Asrari' (play).
• Wrote and published `The Snake King' (play).
• Returned to the theater bureau.
• Directed his first piece of drama: `Dolls' (first of his puppet trilogy) in the National Arts Group which was also aired on the Iranian TV.

• Wrote his one-act plays `The Party' and `The Legacy' and directed them for the National Arts Group in Shahrivar-25 hall.
• Wrote `Four Boxes' (play)
• Published `The Party', `The Legacy' and `Four Boxes' in cultural and intellectual periodicals in Tehran
• Published Ezhdhak (narration)
• The producer terms as decent and cultural three of the 40-minute long screen plays he wrote for the `Sarkar Ostovar' television series under the titles of `The Glorious Day', `The Disgusted' and `The Meeting'.

• One of the founders and key members of the "Circle of Iranian Writers"
• Went to Isfahan to join the arts and culture office, was in constant clash with the officials there, his salary was cut and then he returned to Tehran with empty hands after six months
• Wrote `Divan Balkh' (play)

• Wrote `The Lost Ones' (play) and arranged rehearsals for staging it but the project failed
• Published "Drama in China" (a research work accompanied by three Chinese plays translated by Dariush Ashouri).
• Cooperated with Tehran University in the dramatic arts courses in the fine arts college upon the invitation of its students and the faculty members as a guest teacher
• Directed `The Snake King' on the stage of Shahrivar-25 hall and then staged a drama tour for it in northern cities of the country.
• Wrote `The Stormy Route of Farman, Son of Farman Through Darkness' (play).
• Wrote `Truth and Learned Man' (narration).
• Was invited to direct the short film Amou Sebilou (uncle mustache).
• Wrote plot schemes for two long feature films: `Profession' and `Three Witnesses'.
• Wrote screen plays `Rainstorm' and `The Lonely Vagabond'.

• His first long feature film: `Rainstorm'
• Wrote screen plays `The Trip', `The Stranger and the Mist' and also the preliminary plot scheme of `The Career'.
• Directed the short film `The Trip'.
• Started directing `The Stranger and the Mist' at the closing days of the year.

• Completed directing `The Stranger and the Mist'.
• Resigned from the cinema artists union together with other founding members of the "Center of Progressive Cinema Artists".
• Made a short film on the theme of death inspired by a painting left behind by an executed person (unfinished).
• Moved from the theater bureau to Tehran University as a full-time assistant in dramatic arts faculty upon the demand of the students.

• Resigned from the "Center of Progressive Cinema Artists".
• Wrote the short screen play "the musical instrument" based on a story by Nosratollah Navidi.
• Wrote plot schemes for the short screen plays "Job, Number Two", "Job, Number Three" and "Job, Number Four" which were later mixed to make his three part screen play `The Spectacle'.
• Wrote the scheme for `The Stories of the Mir (chief) Who Wore a Shroud,' later on extending the story into full form.

• Wrote `Truth About Leila, Edris' Daughter' and made a vain effort to make it.
• Wrote Cherike Tara (screen play). Wrote the scheme for the screen play `The Travelers'.

• Wrote the screen play `Ahoo, Selandar, Talhak and others'.
• Wrote the screen play and then directed `The Crow'

• Wrote `Nodbeh' (screen play) and made a vain effort to direct it.

• Made speeches in the "Ten Nights" ceremonies held by Iranian intellectual writers and poets.
• Directed Charikeye Tara for the Lisar filming group which was founded by the original makers of the film in the Lisar forte. Wrote the original scheme of `The Scroll of Sheikh Sharzin'
• Wrote `Wall Writings' (play), and resigned from "Association of Iranian Writers"

• Wrote the play `Death of Yazdgerd' and directed it on the stage of Chahar-su hall with both the professional and non-professional actors having graduated from the fine arts college in drama courses.
• Wrote `The Stories of the Mir' (chief) Who Wore a Shroud" (screen play).
• Wrote the scheme for the screen play `The Scroll of Sheikh Sharzin'; - Wrote the scheme for the short film `Job, Number Five' also scheme for the film `The Illusion' which later was used as the background for the screen play `Some Other Time Perhaps'; wrote the scheme for the film `They Are Knocking, Why Don't You Open the Door?';
• Wrote the scheme for `An Incredible Tale' (screen play);
• Wrote the scheme of the screen play `The Guard'.

• Wrote `The Night of Sable' and tied to direct it with restricted means.
• Wrote `The Occupation' (screen play), `The Glasses in the Opposite' (screen play).
• Edited the short film `Selandar' (the director was Varoozh Karim Masihi).

• Wrote the scheme of `The Old File of Pirabad'.
• Directed the film `Death of Yazdgerd' with restricted means.
• Was fired from university after twenty years of administrative work.
• Wrote `The Diary of a Supporting Role Actor' (play).
• Edited the half-length film `The Children of South'; `Search: Two' (the director was Amir Naderi).

• Wrote `The Fateful Day' (screen play), `The Incredible Tale' (screen play' and `The Earth' (screen play).
• Wrote `Notes of Victory in Kalat' (screen play).
• Unfinished scheme and rehearsal of `The War Notes of Slaves' (a stage work for the active creation of the actors)
• Wrote the scheme of the screen play `Traveling Into Night' and also the scheme for `The Secret History of The Sultan of Darabaskoun'.

• Wrote `The Old File of Pirabad' (screen play), `Ayyarnameh' (screen play), `Mobarak's Shoes' (screen play), `The Secret History of the Sultan in Abaskoon' (screen play), `Some Other Time Perhaps' (screen play) and the scheme of the screen play `Afra'.
• Edited the film `The Runner' (directed by Amir Naderi). Wrote the scheme of the screen play `The Gap Between the Shadows'.

• Wrote and directed `Bashu, the Little Stranger'.
• Wrote `The Forte of Storm' (screen play).
• Wrote the schemes for the screen plays `Job Number 6', `Job Number 7' and the scheme of the play `Night Letters'.
• Wrote `Pardekhaneh' (screen play).

• Wrote `The Scroll of Sheikh Sharzin' (screen play), `Gilgamesh' (screen play), `The New Preface for Shahnameh' (screen play) and the scheme for the screen play `The Bamboo Curtain'.
• Started directing `Some Other Time, Perhaps' at the closing days of the year.

• Completed `Some Other Time, Perhaps'.
• Wrote the scheme for the screen play `The Document' and also for the screen play `Film in Film'.

• Wrote `Mr. Leer' (screen play), `A Lost Page of the Identity Papers of a Future Co-citizen' (screen play).
• Wrote `The War Notes of the Slaves' (screen play).

• Wrote `Journey Into Nights' (screen play) and `The Travelers' (screen play).

• Wrote `Film in Film' (screen play), started directing `Travelers' at the closing days of the year.

• Completed `The Travelers' and edited it.

• Wrote `Who Killed the Boss?' (screen play), `Yuaona; Or a Letter to Nobody' (screen play) and `Killing Dogs' (screen play)

• Wrote `The Blind Fire worshipper' (short screen play) and `Reciting Tales of Siavoosh' (screen play; and also a play based on it).

• Wrote `The Songs of Nanny Arsu' (screen play), `A Hat Without a Head' (screen play) and `Toobnameh' screen play.

• Wrote `Hoora in the Mirror' screen play, wrote the final version of `The Record of Bandar Bidakhsh' (narration); published `Hitchkok in the Frame' (conversations with a number of cinema students about Hitchkok).
• Edited the long feature film `Minoo Watch Tower' (directed by Ebrahim Hatami Kia).
• Edited the long feature film `The Hidden Games' (directed by Karim Hatefi Nia).
• Wrote the scheme for a short 100-second film and also for a long film in several sections directed by several directors to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of cinema. Both projects failed.

• Made a one-year-long trip to France.
• Wrote `The Destination' screen play, `The Protest' (a screen play based on the life of Azar Shiva, the old actress of Iranian cinema), `The Spectacle' screen play, and `Afra, Or the Day Passes By' screen play.
• Wrote `Hedayat' (a screen play based on the life of Iranian writer Sadeq Hedayat), a puppet play for live actors, `Afra, Or the Day Passes By' (he had already compiled a screen play on it).
• Returned to Iran. Directed the play `Lady Aooyi' written by Mishima Yokyo with Parchin drama group. The play - which is also his wife's graduation thesis in acting - was staged since February in the theater hall of Azad University and then, after being presented in Fajr Theater Festival, was performed in Qashqaie theater hall for 50 nights, making a total of 71 performances.
• Directed the play `The Record of Bandar Bidakhsh' with Lisar drama group. It was also performed in Chahar-su hall as of January 1997. It had a total of 54 performances together with its presentation of Fajr Theater Festival.
• Edited the short film `A Portrait on Water' from the series `The Children of Iran' (directed by Hamidreza Salahmand).

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