Finn

A thought-provoking family drama about a boy who deals with the loss of his mother by learning to play the violin with a mysterious neighbour.


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  • Director Frans Weisz
  • Producers Sabine Veenendaal, Michiel de Rooij, Jeroen Beker
  • Screenwriter Janneke van der Pal
  • With Mels van der Hoeven, Jan Decleir, Daan Schuurmans
  • Netherlands-Belgium 2014
  • 90 mins
  • Sales Attraction Distribution

Subtitled. Recommended for ages 8+

Finn is nine years old. He doesn’t fit in at school. He lives alone with his father, who is distant and still grieves the loss of his wife, Finn’s mother. Luuk, an elderly man, moves into a deserted farmhouse nearby and the sound of his violin playing transports Finn into a world where he can imagine being with his mother. Believing the instrument to be enchanted, Finn attempts to persuade his neighbour to teach him how to play. But Luuk and Finn’s father have history that neither is willing to reveal, so the boy takes it upon himself to learn the violin in private. His father fails to notice, believing him to be playing football. A beautiful, thought-provoking tale, Frans Weisz’s film explores how coping with loss can lead to a breakdown in communication within families. It’s a film whose emotional power lingers long after it has drawn to a close.

Justin Johnson