Synopsis
When ten-year-old Abigail Phillips discovers a forgotten piano deep in the woods on her father's farm, she uncovers not just a passion for music—but the key to a mystery that spans generations. After the sudden loss of her mother, Abigail finds comfort and purpose in music, and her natural gift quickly emerges.
Recognizing her rare talent, her father sends her to Paris to pursue a future as a concert pianist. But back home, he begins his own investigation into the piano's origins. What he uncovers is a hidden history—of loss, longing, and other lives quietly shaped by the same mysterious instrument.
As Abigail’s fame grows, so does the weight of the secret behind her gift. Told through intertwining timelines, The Gift is a lyrical meditation on creativity, memory, love and the unseen forces that guide us.
About The Film
After the loss of her mother, Abigail is raised by her loving father. The discovery of the piano awakens a passion for music that reveals her to be a rare prodigy. Her journey takes her from the quiet countryside to the grand stages of Paris. But while Abigail begins her ascent, her father becomes obsessed with uncovering the piano’s mysterious past—and he soon realizes that their family is not the only one whose fate has been touched by it.
A story of creative ambition, talent, and the life of a seemingly ordinary object with an extraordinary past, The Gift is the debut feature by Sunny Zhao. Inspired by Zhao’s personal background as a musician, the film explores the beauty and struggle of nurturing artistic genius.
Told in a unique, nonlinear style—blending present and past through the central thread of the piano—The Gift is filmed in stunning anamorphic format, with slow-motion sequences and rich, saturated colors that evoke a dreamlike quality. At its core, The Gift is an emotional, heartwarming tale of love, music, and the lifelong pursuit of truth.
From the very beginning, we envisioned this story being told through breathtaking visuals—accompanied by authentic, romantic time-period piano music and world class symphony performances of music scores. Over the span of six years, we captured every key location across all four seasons. The shifting landscapes, falling rain, and drifting snow—none of it was created with AI. Every frame was crafted through practical, on-location cinematography. Abigail's magical childhood was almost entirely shot with natural light.
Our lead character, Abigail Phillips, is portrayed by Emma Barnet. We began filming Emma when she was just 10 years old and continued until she was 14 and half. Then, after an 5-year break, we brought her back to complete the story at age 21. Abigail truly grows up on screen, and Emma’s journey mirrors her character’s in a deeply authentic way.
Because of the long production timeline, we utilized nearly every generation of RED Digital Cinema Cameras. And two generations of phantom high-speed Digital Cinema cameras. The film was shot in anamorphic format. The footage is currently undergoing color correction and final mastering, bringing together years of visual storytelling into a cohesive, cinematic experience.
The Visuals
Director’s Statement
The Gift began with a memory—my own childhood moments at small practice room in front of a old piano, when music felt like a secret world only I could enter. And there is nothing like the way music can move you. A touch of a note, a simple, honest delay of that melody. That personal connection became the seed of this film. I wanted to tell a story about the mysterious force of talent, and how creativity can shape—and sometimes reshape—the lives of those who encounter it. And a ordinary life become extraordinary.
This film is not just about music; it’s about the emotional echoes an object can carry across time. A piano is just wood, wire, and keys—until someone breathes life into it. From that moment it comes alive. It has memory, it records, it become a witness of greatness and a collaborator. It become your partner in crime…It carries you to your destiny. I’ve always believed that creativity is not just something we do, but something we inherit, something that travels, something can pass on to, and connects us.
Abigail Phillips grow up in the story. Over the years, I filmed Emma Barnet for over four years. Capturing her from 10 till 14 1/2 years old, capturing her real transformation from child to early teen. Her journey mirrors Abigail’s. That authenticity—combined with practical cinematography over six years, real seasonal changing, landscapes reshaping, and magical moments of mother nature—was my commitment to honoring the organic beauty of the story.
The Gift is a love letter to anyone who’s ever wondered where their talent comes from… and what they’re willing to sacrifice for it.
Sunny Zhao