Gradually is a poignant tale about Mahmoud, a railway welder working outside Tehran, who returns home to find that his wife, Pari—who struggles with mental illness—has disappeared with their daughter and taken their savings. As he searches for her, he faces relentless gossip and social pressure from the neighborhood, forcing him into an agonizing dilemma.
A confused tale of a man pressured by society to ostracize his mentally ill wife when she goes roaming without his permission, Gradually echoes themes from director Maziar Miri’s first feature, Unfinished Song, which challenged the ban on women singers in Iran. Though the film tackles a compelling subject, its execution falls short of its full potential.
Berlin International Film Festival (2006) | Official Selection
Fribourg International Film Festival (2006)
Winner: FIPRESCI Prize
Winner: Grand Prix
Taipei Film Festival (2006) | Official Selection
Hong Kong International Film Festival (2006) | Official Selection
Viennale (2006) | Official Selection
New Directors/New Films (2007) | Official Selection
“Gradually” is a confused tale about a man pressured by society to ostracize his mentally ill wife when she goes roaming without his permission. Like helmer Maziar Miri’s first entry “Unfinished Song,” which questioned the ban on women singers in Iran, the idea has far more potential than the filmmaker is able to realize. When not sliding into melodrama, the film hedges toward mystery, but ends up just being perversely complicated and uninvolving. A major re-edit is in order before it will be shippable.
Vanity review by Deborah Young:
"Gradually" is a muddled tale of a man pressured by society to ostracize his mentally ill wife when she wanders off without his permission. Like director Maziar Miri’s debut feature, Unfinished Song—which challenged Iran’s ban on women singers—the film tackles an important issue but falls short of its full potential. Oscillating between melodrama and mystery, it ultimately becomes overly convoluted and emotionally disengaging. A major re-edit is needed before it can be considered ready for distribution.