The Red Violin (1999): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
The Red Violin is a 1999 mystery drama directed by François Girard, starring Carlo Cecchi, Christoph Koncz and Jean-Luc Bideau. It runs 2 hours 11 minutes and earned $10 million worldwide on a $18 million budget. It won 1 Oscar, including Music (Original Score). Critics gave it 57 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.6/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 11m (131 min)
- Director
- François Girard
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Lions Gate Films
- Budget
- $18M
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Red Violin About?
The premise of The Red Violin without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A gifted craftsman creates a beautiful violin in 17th-century Italy, imbuing it with deep personal significance. The instrument’s history then unfolds across centuries and continents, connecting diverse characters and locations. In modern-day Montreal, an expert appraiser discovers the violin and its captivating story, embarking on a quest to reveal the secrets and passions woven into its creation and the lives it has touched. The journey explores themes of love, loss, and the enduring power of art.
The Red Violin Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- violin
- auction
- period drama
- instrument maker
- vienna austria
- female rear nudity
- 1680s
- female full frontal nudity
- anthology
- montreal quebec canada
- violinist
- secret
+38 more Show fewer
- passion
- monastery
- in medias res
- paint made with blood
- mentor protege relationship
- child
- carrying a dead body
- luthier
- x ray
- wunderkind
- writing
- voice over narration
- violin buried in coffin
- video monitor
- video camera
- university of montreal
- trial
- tragic event
- thief
- theft
- the devil
- telephone
- teacher
- teacher student relationship
- taxi
- taxi driver
- superstition
- stradivarius
- snow
- slide show
- slide projector
- sickness
- ship
- shanghai
- sex
- servant
- seduction
- running
The Red Violin Cast
Carlo Cecchi leads the cast, with Christoph Koncz and Jean-Luc Bideau. Directed by François Girard.
- Director François Girard
More from François Girard
More films directed by François Girard, best-rated first: Boychoir, The Song of Names, Silk and The Metropolitan Opera: The Flying Dutchman.
The Red Violin Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave The Red Violin 57 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.6/10.
-
IMDb 7.6 /10
See on IMDb -
Metacritic 57 Metascore
User score 7.9
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 74% User score
See on TMDB
The Red Violin Plot Summary
What happens in The Red Violin from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
This captivating film revolves around a remarkable red violin crafted in 1681 by the esteemed Cremonese violinmaker, Nicolo Bussotti, in anticipation of his child’s arrival. The story unfolds through a series of episodes intricately tied together by the fortune-telling of a servant woman named Cesca, who reads tarot cards meant for Nicolo’s expectant wife, Anna. Surprisingly, the cards do not forecast Anna’s destiny but rather the violin’s tumultuous journey.
As the narrative progresses, we learn that this violin will become Nicolo’s final masterpiece—a beautifully intricate instrument possessing unparalleled resonance across all its sound characteristics. Tragically, after the death of his beloved Anna during childbirth, Nicolo finishes the violin, using secret ingredients that impart its striking red hue.
Full summary
The whole story of The Red Violin, scene by scene
The Red Violin Box Office & Budget
The Red Violin grossed $10 million worldwide on a $18 million budget, 56% of what it cost.
Worldwide gross
$10M
56% of its budget back
- US & Canada
- $10M
- Budget
- $18M
The Red Violin Awards & Nominations
The Red Violin won 1 Oscar, including Music (Original Score). Its biggest night was the Oscars 2000, with 1 win from 1 nomination.
1 win2 nominations2 ceremonies
-
Oscars 2000 1 win · 1 nomination- Won Music (Original Score)
-
Golden Globes 2000 1 nomination- Nominated Best Foreign Language Film
The Red Violin Trailers & Videos
The trailer of The Red Violin.
How Well Do You Know The Red Violin?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who crafted the Red Violin?
Cars in The Red Violin
7 cars on screen, including the Studebaker US6 and the 1942 Willys MB 'Jeep'.
-
Studebaker US6 Minor role -
1942 Willys MB 'Jeep' Minor role -
Allis-Chalmers HD-7 Background role -
1941 Diamond T 969 A Background role
The Red Violin Also Known As
21 alternative titles, including “El violín rojo” and “레드 바이올린”.
- Also known as
-
- El violín rojo
- 레드 바이올린
- Den röda fiolen
- Kırmızı Keman
- Il violino rosso
- 红色小提琴
- Die rote Violine
- Красная скрипка
- A vörös hegedű
- Το Κόκκινο Βιολί
- O Violino Vermelho
- Vioara roșie
+9 more Show fewer
- כינור אדום
- Червената цигулка
- Krvavé housle
- Purpurowe Skrzypce
- Червона скрипка
- 紅色小提琴
- レッド・バイオリン
- ไวโอลินเลือด
- Crvena violina
Seen The Red Violin?
Movies Like The Red Violin
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Red Shoes, Three Colors: Red and The Red Dance.
The Red Violin FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of The Red Violin, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Red Violin?
The Red Violin runs 2 hours 11 minutes (131 minutes).
When was The Red Violin released?
The Red Violin was released on June 11, 1999.
Who directed The Red Violin?
The Red Violin was directed by François Girard.
More films by François Girard Who is in the cast of The Red Violin?
The Red Violin stars Carlo Cecchi, Christoph Koncz and Jean-Luc Bideau.
How much did The Red Violin make at the box office?
The Red Violin grossed $10 million worldwide on a budget of $18 million.
How is The Red Violin rated?
The Red Violin has 7.6/10 on IMDb, 57 on Metacritic and 74% on TMDB.
What awards did The Red Violin win?
The Red Violin won 1 award from 2 nominations, including Music (Original Score) at the Oscars 2000.
Does The Red Violin have a post-credit scene?
No. The Red Violin has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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