Maps of Movies
The Piano (1993)
Where The Piano says it takes place, and where it was really shot.
A piano on a New Zealand beach: the film's wild shore is one Auckland beach, but its bush and sea scenes were shot elsewhere
View on the map
Scenes and places
Ada and the piano on the beach
Ada and her daughter Flora are left on a wild beach by a ship's crew, with the piano that is Ada's only voice. Nobody is there to meet them, and night falls beside the crates.
Set in A New Zealand beach — Ada and Flora are put ashore with the piano by the ship's crew.
A long surf beach on the west coast of the North Island, backed by bush-covered hills.
Filmed at Karekare Beach, west of Auckland — Wikipedia says the scene where Ada comes ashore and the piano is abandoned was filmed here. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The trek through the bush
The next morning Alisdair arrives with his Māori crew and neighbour George Baines. He tells Ada there are too few bearers for the piano and will not go back for it, and she is led inland without it.
Set in The bush track to the farm — Alisdair arrives with his crew and George Baines; the party walks inland, but the piano stays behind.
Thick native forest and mud, as the film imagines the road between the beach and a settler's farm.
Filmed at Bush near Matakana — Wikipedia says bush scenes were filmed near Matakana and Awakino; which scene is which is not stated. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Filmed at Bush near Awakino — The second place Wikipedia names for the bush scenes. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
George takes Ada back to the piano
Ada asks George for help, and he first refuses but then seems to give in. On the sand, he listens to her play and sees a different woman from the stern one on the farm.
Set in The beach with the abandoned piano — Desperate to recover the piano, Ada gets George to take her back to the beach.
The same stretch of shore where the crates were left, now with a listener.
Filmed at Karekare Beach, west of Auckland — The film's beach piano scenes are tied to Karekare by Wikipedia's Production section; this particular scene is assumed to be the same beach, not stated separately. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The land-for-lessons bargain
George offers Alisdair the land he has been coveting in exchange for the piano and lessons from Ada. Ada is angry, but she agrees to trade lessons for piano keys.
Set in George's house — George trades with Alisdair for the piano and for lessons from Ada.
A settler's home turned into a music room.
Filmed at Piha Beach, north of Karekare — Beach scenes (scene not stated) Google Maps · Apple Maps
Filmed at Bay of Islands — Underwater scenes Google Maps · Apple Maps
Characters
- Ada McGrath — A Scottish woman who does not speak and plays the piano, sent to New Zealand for an arranged marriage.
- Flora — Ada's young daughter, who interprets her mother's sign language.
- Alisdair Stewart — The settler Ada has been promised to in marriage.
- George Baines — A retired sailor who has adopted Māori customs and lives near the Stewart farm.