The Red Violin
1998 | 130m | French
Popularity: 5 (history)
| Director: | François Girard |
|---|---|
| Writer: | Don McKellar, François Girard |
| Staring: |
| 300 years of a remarkable musical instrument. Crafted by the Italian master Bussotti (Cecchi) in 1681, the red violin has traveled through Austria, England, China, and Canada, leaving both beauty and tragedy in its wake. In Montreal, Samuel L Jackson plays an appraiser going over its complex history. | |
| Release Date: | Nov 13, 1998 |
|---|---|
| Director: | François Girard |
| Writer: | Don McKellar, François Girard |
| Genres: | Drama, Romance, Mystery, Thriller, Music |
| Keywords | auction, violin |
| Production Companies | New Line Cinema, Rhombus Media, Dor Film, Téléfilm Canada, Shanghai Film Studio, China Film Co-Production Corp., Vienna Film Financing Fund, Film4 Productions, CITY-TV, Mikado Film, Euphoria Films, Sidecar Films & TV, Salon Films |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $9,495,408
Budget: $18,000,000 |
| Updates |
Updated: Jul 16, 2025 Entered: Jul 16, 2025 |
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Carlo Cecchi | Nicolo Bussotti (Cremona) |
| Irene Grazioli | Anna Bussotti (Cremona) |
| Anita Laurenzi | Cesca (Cremona) |
| Tommaso Puntelli | Apprentice (Cremona) |
| Samuele Amighetti | Boy (Cremona) |
| Jean-Luc Bideau | Georges Poussin (Vienna) |
| Samuel L. Jackson | Charles Morritz (Montréal) |
| Greta Scacchi | Victoria Byrd (Oxford) |
| Aldo Brugnini | Assistant (Cremona) |
| Christoph Koncz | Kaspar Weiss (Vienna) |
| Clotilde Mollet | Antoinette Pussin (Vienna) |
| Florentín Groll | Anton von Spielmann (Vienna) |
| Johannes Silberschneider | Father Richter (Vienna) |
| Rainer Egger | Brother Christophe (Vienna) |
| Paul Koeker | Brother Gustav (Vienna) |
| Wolfgang Böck | Brother Michael (Vienna) |
| Josef Mairginter | Brother Franz (Vienna) |
| Johan Gotsch | Funeral Monk (Vienna) |
| Geza Hosszu-Legocky | Gypsy Violonist (Vienna) |
| David Alberman | Gypsy Violonist (Vienna) |
| Arthur Denberg | Prince Mansfeld (Vienna) |
| Andrzej Matuszewiski | Gypsy Violonist (Vienna) |
| Jason Flemyng | Frederick Pope (Oxford) |
| Eva Marie Bryer | Sara (Oxford) |
| Dimitri Andreas | Gypsy Father (Oxford) |
| David Gant | Conductor (Oxford) |
| Stuart Yung Sai-Kit | Manservant (Oxford) |
| Sylvia Chang | Xiang Pei (Shanghai) |
| Liu Zifeng | Chou Yuan (Shanghai) |
| Tao Hong | Comrade Chan Gong (Shanghai) |
| Xio Fei Han | Young Ming (Shanghai) |
| Tan Zeng-Wei | Guard (Shanghai) |
| Zhi Qing Zhou | Senior Policeman (Shanghai) |
| Zhi Qiao | Elderly Woman (Shanghai) |
| Kun Qi Cao | Deputy (Shanghai) |
| Rei Yang | Young Xian Pei (Shanghai) |
| Lidou | Pawnbroker (Shanghai) |
| Colm Feore | Auctioneer (Montréal) |
| Monique Mercure | Mme. Leroux (Montréal) |
| Don McKellar | Evan Williams (Montréal) |
| Ireneusz Bogajewicz | Mr. Ruselsky (Montréal) |
| Julian Richings | Nicolas Olsberg (Montréal) |
| Russell Yuen | Older Ming (Montréal) |
| Sandra Oh | Madame Ming (Montréal) |
| Paula de Vasconcelos | Suzanne (Montréal) |
| Rémy Girard | Customs Agent (Montréal) |
| Marie-Josée Gauthier | Hotel Concierge (Montréal) |
| Dany Laferrière | Cabby (Montréal) |
| Dorothée Berryman | Secretary (Montréal) |
| David La Haye | Handler (Montréal) |
| Gregory Hlady | Coat Attendant (Montréal) |
| Herman Meckler | Registrar (Montréal) |
| Sheena Macdonald | Ruselsky's Companion (Montréal) |
| Jody Shapiro | Autograph Seeker (Montréal) |
| James Bradford | Stagehand (Montréal) |
| Joshua Bell | Violinist (Oxford) (uncredited) |
| Sylvia Stewart | Security Guard (uncredited) |
| Wang Xiaoshuai | Junior Policeman (Shanghai) |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| Don McKellar | Writer |
| Renée April | Costume Designer, Costume Design |
| Ernest Vincze | Camera Operator |
| Alain Dostie | Director of Photography |
| Martyn John | Art Direction |
| Dominic Daigle | Visual Effects |
| Jamie Hallett | Visual Effects |
| François Lord | Visual Effects |
| Robin Tremblay | Visual Effects |
| Mariane Carter | Assistant Costume Designer |
| Rose Goodhart | Wardrobe Assistant |
| Thomas Oláh | Costume Coordinator |
| Kathy Ducker | Assistant Makeup Artist |
| Meinir Jones-Lewis | Assistant Makeup Artist |
| Cécile Rigault | Assistant Makeup Artist |
| Suzanne Stokes-Munton | Hairstylist |
| Micheline Trépanier | Makeup Artist |
| Adolf Uhrmacher | Makeup Artist |
| Carole Gagnon | Dialogue Editor |
| Guy Pelletier | Dialogue Editor, Sound Editor |
| Jacques Plante | ADR Supervisor |
| Jo Caron | Sound Recordist |
| François Girard | Writer, Director |
| John Corigliano | Original Music Composer |
| Matthias Gohl | Music Producer |
| Gaétan Huot | Editor |
| François Séguin | Production Design |
| Frank D'Iorio | Visual Effects |
| Mathieu Dupuis | Visual Effects |
| Yves Laniel | Visual Effects |
| André Ü Montambeault | Visual Effects |
| Judy Farr | Set Decoration |
| Martine Gagnon | Assistant Costume Designer |
| Claudette Lilly | Costume Assistant |
| Ros Ward | Wardrobe Coordinator |
| Pat Hay | Makeup Artist |
| Serge Morache | Key Hair Stylist |
| Petra Schaumann | Assistant Hairstylist |
| Barbara Sutton | Assistant Hairdresser |
| Nathalie Trépanier | Makeup Artist |
| Antoine Morin | Sound Editor |
| Hans Peter Strobl | Sound Mixer |
| Jérôme Décarie | Foley Artist |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Niv Fichman | Producer |
| Giannandrea Pecorelli | Co-Producer |
| Daniel Iron | Co-Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venice Film Festival | Best Picture | N/A | Won |
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 18 | 25 | 12 |
| 2024 | 5 | 19 | 30 | 12 |
| 2024 | 6 | 16 | 27 | 11 |
| 2024 | 7 | 19 | 36 | 9 |
| 2024 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 9 |
| 2024 | 9 | 16 | 22 | 11 |
| 2024 | 10 | 12 | 23 | 8 |
| 2024 | 11 | 13 | 24 | 7 |
| 2024 | 12 | 13 | 20 | 6 |
| 2025 | 1 | 13 | 23 | 8 |
| 2025 | 2 | 10 | 20 | 3 |
| 2025 | 3 | 5 | 15 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| 2025 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
Trending Position
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | 656 | 721 |
atpar4
N/A
If you're passionate about music, and history, if violins make you weak in the knees, and if you like a timeless love story, The Red Violin won't disappoint. ...
Jun 23, 2021
JPV852
8.0
This is one I've watched a few times over the years and still like it quite a bit. Solid performances, at least from I can tell as at times I can't tell when it's in other languages, though while I like Samuel L. Jackson in his role, there were a couple Jackson-ism lines that felt out of place. Stil ... l, the filmmakers did a great job showing this violin throughout the 200 years worldwide journey. **3.75/5**
Aug 19, 2024