19/03/2008

Anthony Minghella was born on January 6, 1954 on the Isle of Wight to Gloria and Edward Minghella.

A graduate of the University of Hull, Minghella began his career as a playwright/director in theatre. He garnered acclaim, especially for his Beckett adaptations.

He then moved on to television before he directed the popular romantic comedy Truly, Madly, Deeply (1990), for which he won the Best Original Screenplay BAFTA. The ill-received Mr. Wonderful (1993) followed.

But it was The English Patient (1996) that put Minghella firmly amongst the greats of cinema, winning nine Oscars, including Best Director.

The Talented Mr Ripley (1999) earned him BAFTA and Oscar screenplay nominations and Cold Mountain [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (2003) won Renee Zellweger the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. In 2001, Minghella was honoured with the CBE.

Minghella made a triumphant return to the stage in 2005 with a sweeping adaptation of Puccini’s Madam Butterfly at the English National Opera and 2006 brought the well-received Breaking and Entering [+see also:
trailer
film profile].

At the time of his demise Minghella had just handed over the chairmanship of the British Film Institute to Greg Dyke, completed the television pilot for The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, a segment of portmanteau film New York, I Love You and begun work on his next feature, The Ninth Life Of Louis Drax, based on Liz Jensen’s novel.

In a recent interview Minghella had said, “I had never thought of myself as a director and found out that I was not. I am a writer who was able to direct the films that I write. It is a naked thing to admit, but I feel very strongly that I want people to appreciate that I am not just a flash in the pan.”

Anthony Minghella passed away on March 18, 2008. His wife Carolyn Choa and children Max and Hannah survive him.