Anna Paquin

Not only was The Piano – the story of a mute woman and her daughter trying to find love within an arranged marriage in settler-era New Zealand – a fine piece of film making, it also marked a key moment in the emergence of the local film industry as a viable player in a global sense.

Gus Van Sant (Goodwill Hunting, Elephant) drama with Sean Connery playing a Pulitzer Prize-winning author who mentors a young high school basketball star (newcomer Rob Brown), after recognising his exceptional talent with the pen.