The movie, directed by Francois Girard, follows the journey of the red violin as it passes through the hands of various owners over three centuries. After being crafted by the Italian master Bussotti, the violin is bought by a prince who gives it to his unborn child as a gift. However, tragedy strikes as the prince's wife dies in childbirth and both the child and the violin are apparently lost.
The violin resurfaces in Vienna in the late 1700s, where it is played by a child prodigy named Kaspar Weiss. After being nearly destroyed during a French Revolution-inspired riot, the violin is repaired and given to a young musician named Frederick Pope in England in the early 1800s. Pope becomes obsessed with the violin, but eventually loses it in a bet to a wealthy collector.
The violin then travels to Shanghai in the 1960s, where it is coveted by a group of musicians during Mao's Cultural Revolution. It is eventually acquired by a violin maker who recognizes its true worth and keeps it safe until it is smuggled out of the country. In present-day Montreal, the violin is put up for auction where it is bid on by a number of interested parties.
Throughout the movie, the red violin is something of a character in its own right, with each of its owners leaving their mark on the instrument and being influenced by its unique qualities. The movie also explores themes of love, loss, obsession, and the power of art and beauty. It features a number of prominent actors including Samuel L. Jackson, Greta Scacchi, and Jason Flemyng.