The Red violin = Le Violon rouge = Violino rosso, Il

A five part tale which tells the life story of an exquisite 300 year old violin. The film begins with the loving creation of the instrument in 17th century in Italy by a master craftsman for his unborn child. However, upon the death of the baby the instrument maker curses the violin by adding a secret ingredient to the varnish. The central focus is at an auction house in Montreal where the legendary violin is for sale and the bidding is fierce. The focus of the film is not so much the violin’s future, but its affect on the five lives of those who played it over the years, as we are drawn back into each of their worlds. Coveted by child prodigies, virtuosos and gypsies, the instrument is a poisoned chalice with most of the people who play it meeting a tragic and untimely end. This ambitious film is shot in Cremona, Vienna, Oxford, Shanghai and Montreal, with dialogue in French, English, Italian, Spanish and Mandarin. An Academy Award winning musical soundtrack composed by John Corigliano reminds us of the beauty of the violin as the viewer follows its travels across time and space. Written by Don McKellar and Francois Girard.