The Red Violin (1998) follows a single instrument across three centuries and five countries - from a 17th-century Cremona workshop to a Montreal auction house - as it passes through the hands of a prodigy, a virtuoso, a Cultural Revolution and finally an appraiser, played by Samuel L. Jackson, who suspects what it really is. Directed by Francois Girard and co-written with Don McKellar, with Greta Scacchi and Jason Flemyng. John Corigliano's score, with Joshua Bell as soloist, won the Academy Award for Best Original Score. A Universal widescreen release, 2 hours 11 minutes, rated R, Region 1.