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The Piano
1993 120 min Australia, France R 18+
★8.4
Drama, Romance
Director: Jane Campion
Trailers
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Description
When an arranged marriage brings Ada and her spirited daughter to the wilderness of nineteenth-century New Zealand, she finds herself locked in a battle of wills with both her controlling husband and a rugged frontiersman to whom she develops a forbidden attraction.
Budget:
$7M
US Gross:
$40.16M
Worldwide:
$40.2M
Starring
Holly Hunter
Actor
Harvey Keitel
Actor
Sam Neill
Actor
Awards
Golden Globe 1994
— Best Actress (Drama)
Academy Awards 1994
— Best Actress
Academy Awards 1994
— Best Supporting Actress
Academy Awards 1994
— Best Cinematography
Golden Globe 1994
— Best Actress (Drama)
Golden Globe 1994
— Best Supporting Actress
Academy Awards 1994
— Best Actress
BAFTA 1994
— Best Original Score
Academy Awards 1994
— Best Supporting Actress
Academy Awards 1994
— Best Costume Design
Cannes Film Festival 1993
— Palme d'Or
BAFTA 1994
— Best Film Editing
Cannes Film Festival 1993
— Silver Award – Best Actress
BAFTA 1994
— Best Cinematography
BAFTA 1994
— Best Costume Design
BAFTA 1994
— Best Production Design
Golden Globe 1994
— Best Director
Golden Globe 1994
— Best Screenplay
BAFTA 1994
— Best Actress
Academy Awards 1994
— Best Screenplay
Academy Awards 1994
— Best Film Editing
Golden Globe 1994
— Best Original Score
BAFTA 1994
— David Lean Award for Direction
Golden Globe 1994
— Best Picture (Drama)
BAFTA 1994
— Best Picture
BAFTA 1994
— Best Sound
César Awards 1994
— Best International Feature Film
Key opinion
Jane Campion's The Piano is widely regarded as a visually arresting and emotionally intense masterpiece, celebrated for its unique use of music and non-verbal communication. While the film is hailed for its performances and atmospheric direction, some viewers find the romantic dynamics and pacing challenging, leading to polarized views on its narrative credibility.
| Acting | Holly Hunter's portrayal of Ada serves as the film's emotional core, effectively conveying complex inner states through gesture and expression rather than speech. | |
| Cinematography | Stuart Dryburgh’s cinematography expertly captures the rugged beauty of the New Zealand landscape, using color and light to mirror the characters' internal volatility. | |
| Screenplay | The film’s central conceit of bartering piano lessons for intimacy invites debate, as some view it as a profound exploration of awakening desire while others find the power dynamics exploitative. | |
| Score | While many praise Michael Nyman’s score as essential to the film's identity, others feel the repetitive nature of the musical motifs becomes intrusive over the course of the film. | |
| Pacing | The film’s deliberate, meditative pacing rewards viewers seeking atmospheric storytelling, but is viewed by others as slow and occasionally emotionally implausible. |