A mute Scottish woman arrives in colonial New Zealand for an arranged marriage. Her husband refuses to move her beloved piano, giving it to neighbor George Baines, who agrees to return the piano in exchange for lessons. As desire swirls around the duo, the wilderness consumes the European enclave.
- Genre: Drama, Romance
- Studio: New South Wales Film & Television Office, Jan Chapman Productions, Australian Film Commission, CiBy 2000
- Keyword: adultery, secret love, beach, jealousy, love triangle, isolation, culture clash, sexuality, arranged marriage, strangeness, violent husband, new zealand, maori, settler, wilderness, mute, pianist, playing piano, woman director, sign languages, piano, 19th century, severed finger, mother daughter relationship
- Cast: Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Sam Neill, Anna Paquin, Cliff Curtis, Kerry Walker