It’s set in the mid-19th century and tells the story of Ada McGrath (Holly Hunter), a mute Scottish woman who is sent to New Zealand for an arranged marriage to frontiersman Alisdair Stewart (Sam Neill). Ada brings along her young daughter, Flora (Anna Paquin), and her beloved piano, which becomes central to her emotional expression. When her husband refuses to transport the piano to their home, it falls into the possession of George Baines (Harvey Keitel), a local man who trades with the Māori.