Minghella family hold memorial service for late director
Anthony Minghella's family hold thanksgiving service in his memory
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Saturday, 26, Apr 2008 04:34
The family of the late Anthony Minghella, the Oscar-winning director of The English Patient, have held a thanksgiving service in his memory.
Minghella died aged 54 on March 23rd after suffering a fatal haemorrhage following surgery at London's Charing Cross hospital.
Having grown up in Ryde, on the Isle of Wight, where his parents run an ice cream business, the service was held at St Thomas' Church in Newport.
A statement from the Minghella family, who organised today's service in conjunction with the local council, said: "We will miss Anthony more than we can say.
"Of course he was a brilliant director and writer, acclaimed worldwide for his amazing talents. But more than that, he was a wonderful son, husband, father, brother and uncle, who loved, and was loved, by all who knew him.
"His genius, and his gift of gentle human kindness, lives on in his work and in the hearts of those he has so tragically left behind."
Roger Mazillius, chairman of Isle of Wight council, added: "Mr Minghella was a supremely talented and creative man who, despite his success, never forgot his roots and was a tremendous ambassador for the island.
"Pride in his success was shared by everyone on the island and he was an inspiration to a generation of young people here.
"It is only fitting and proper that the island of which Anthony was so proud, celebrates his wonderful achievements."
Minghella's movie directing career commenced with the 1990 romance Truly, Madly, Deeply, starring Julia Stevenson and Alan Rickman, and he won the best director Oscar in 1996 for his adaptation of Michael Ondaatje's The English Patient, as well as directing the likes of The Talented Mr Ripley and Cold Mountain.