The Piano is a 1993 drama film written and directed by Jane Campion and starring Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Sam Neill, and Anna Paquin. The story, which takes place in New Zealand, focuses around a mute piano player and her daughter.
The two protagonists of the film are Ada McGrath, a wordless woman who communicates through sign language and loves to play the piano, and her daughter, Flora, who serves as her interpreter and link to other people. Ada is sold into an arranged marriage by her father with a New Zealand frontiersman named Alistair Stewart, and she brings Flora along with her. However, after having several negative experiences with Alistair, since he dislikes her piano playing, Ada finds herself undeniably attracted to his friend, Baines, a forester and retired sailor, leading to a series of events that end up becoming dangerously violent.
The Piano was critically and commercially acclaimed, winning three Academy Awards (nominated for eight) as well as winning the Palm d'Or, the highest prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Campion was the first woman director to be win this award. Anna Paquin was given an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Flora, and was the 2nd youngest actress to win a competitive Oscar title.
