The Red Violin

The Red Violin (French: Le Violon Rouge) is a 1998 anthology drama film directed by François Girard and starring Samuel L. Jackson, Carlo Cecchi and Sylvia Chang. It spans four centuries and five countries telling the story of a mysterious red-coloured violin and its many owners. The instrument, made in Cremona in 1681 with a future forecast by tarot cards, makes its way to Montreal in 1997, where an appraiser identifies it and it goes to auction. The film was an international co-production among companies in Canada, Italy, and the United Kingdom. The screenplay, inspired by a historic 1720 Stradivarius violin nicknamed the "Red Mendelssohn", was written by Don McKellar and Girard. The film was shot in Austria, Canada, China, England and Italy. It features a soundtrack by John Corigliano, with solos performed by violinist Joshua Bell. After premiering at the Venice Film Festival, it received some positive reviews from critics and grossed $10 million at the U.S. box office. It received numerous honours, including the Academy Award for Best Original Score and eight Genie Awards, including Best Motion Picture. The film was also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, but lost to All About My Mother.