We use cookies to help us understand how you use our site, and make your experience better. To find out more read our privacy policy.
Play

00:00

/

00:00

Full screen
Video quality

Low 0 MB

High 0 MB

HD 0 MB

Captions
Volume
Volume
Hero image for The Piano

The Piano

Film (Trailer and Excerpts) – 1993

M
Mature

Ada (Holly Hunter) has been mute since she was six. She travels from Scotland with her daughter (Anna Paquin) and her grand piano to colonial New Zealand, for an arranged marriage. After her husband, a stoic settler (Sam Neill), sells the piano to Baines (Harvey Keitel), Ada and Baines come to a secret agreement. She can win her piano back key by key by playing for him, as he acts out his desire for her. A major hit in Europe, Jane Campion's dark drama is the only Kiwi film to have taken the top award at the Cannes Film Festival. Hunter and Paquin won Oscars, as did the script.

Warning: the third excerpt contains violence.

[Jane Campion] takes the breath away not by conventionally spectacular effects, but by the simple audacity of her choices about where to put the camera and what to show.
– Critic Vincent Canby in The New York Times, 16 October 1993

Produced by

Jan Chapman Productions

If you liked this, you might also like...

Collection
Collection image for The Sam Neill Collection

The Sam Neill Collection

Actor, director, makes the odd bottle of pinot noir: a...

Collection
Collection image for Top 10 NZ Feature Films

Top 10 NZ Feature Films

NZ On Screen has selected an all-time NZ feature film Top...

Collection
Collection image for Best of the 90s

Best of the 90s

This collection celebrates the best of 1990s television,...

Collection
Collection image for Kiwi Oscar Heroes

Kiwi Oscar Heroes

A collection of films that have seen Kiwis winning glory...

Thumbnail image for Marae - The Piano Story

Marae - The Piano Story

Behind the scenes on The Piano

Thumbnail image for The Edge - Holly Hunter interview

The Edge - Holly Hunter interview

Holly Hunter briefly discusses her role in the film

Thumbnail image for The Edge - Jane Campion interview

The Edge - Jane Campion interview

Jane Campion interviewed in 1993

Thumbnail image for The Heart Dances - The Journey of The Piano: the Ballet

The Heart Dances - The Journey of The Piano: the Ballet

Trailer of a ballet adaptation of The Piano

Thumbnail image for The Power of the Dog

The Power of the Dog

Another Jane Campion feature shot in New Zealand

Thumbnail image for Peel

Peel

Another Cannes winner directed by Jane Campion

Thumbnail image for Ashkenazy in Concert

Ashkenazy in Concert

A performance by a famous pianist

Thumbnail image for Mesmerized

Mesmerized

Jodie Foster plays a woman in an arranged marriage

Thumbnail image for Closer

Closer

A short film featuring a deaf teenage boy

Thumbnail image for New Zealand Centenary of Cinema - Greg Page

New Zealand Centenary of Cinema - Greg Page

This short film pays tribute to The Piano

Thumbnail image for Under the Covers - Episode Three

Under the Covers - Episode Three

More on the novel that some say helped inspire The Piano

Thumbnail image for An Angel at My Table

An Angel at My Table

Also directed by Jane Campion

Thumbnail image for Winners & Losers: The Woman at the Store

Winners & Losers: The Woman at the Store

Another dark tale of NZ colonial life

Thumbnail image for Cinema of Unease - A Personal Journey by Sam Neill

Cinema of Unease - A Personal Journey by Sam Neill

Sam Neill's take on the history of NZ film

Thumbnail image for An Immigrant Nation - Hoots Mon, The Scots in New Zealand

An Immigrant Nation - Hoots Mon, The Scots in New Zealand

Documentary about Scottish immigrants

Thumbnail image for The Luminaries (promo)

The Luminaries (promo)

Another moody period drama

Thumbnail image for Careful with that Axe

Careful with that Axe

Another infamous encounter with an axe

Thumbnail image for The Grass is Greener - Sam Neill

The Grass is Greener - Sam Neill

Documentary about Sam Neill's Australian acting career

Thumbnail image for Topless Women Talk about Their Lives

Topless Women Talk about Their Lives

Includes Germans visiting Karekare seeking Piano scenery

Thumbnail image for The Grass is Greener - Jane Campion

The Grass is Greener - Jane Campion

Early interview with director Jane Campion

Thumbnail image for Savage Play - Full Series

Savage Play - Full Series

Another problematic 19th century relationship

Thumbnail image for Taua - War Party

Taua - War Party

More portage in the Waitakere mud

Thumbnail image for The Leading Edge

The Leading Edge

Stuart Dryburgh also shot this

Thumbnail image for Do No Harm

Do No Harm

Another mother and daughter tale

Thumbnail image for Passionless Moments

Passionless Moments

A Cannes-selected short film directed by Jane Campion

Thumbnail image for The Living Room - Series One, Episode Eight

The Living Room - Series One, Episode Eight

Featuring cameraman Alun Bollinger

Thumbnail image for The Wall

The Wall

Short film from Piano casting director Diana Rowan

Thumbnail image for Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence

Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence

Another film about imprisoned desire

Thumbnail image for The Life and Times of Te Tutu - Series One

The Life and Times of Te Tutu - Series One

Another beach arrival

Thumbnail image for Perfect Strangers

Perfect Strangers

Sam Neill also stars in this

Thumbnail image for One Network News - 2004 Cannes Film Festival

One Network News - 2004 Cannes Film Festival

More films that nabbed funding in Europe

Thumbnail image for In Passing

In Passing

Another drama featuring Karekare beach

Thumbnail image for Dream Catchers - Full Series

Dream Catchers - Full Series

Production designer Andrew McAlpine appears in episode 7