Book of condolence opened for Anthony Minghella

Isle of Wight Council have opened a book of condolence at County Hall following the sad death of Island-born Oscar-winning film director Anthony Minghella on Tuesday 18th March.

The book of condolence is situated to the right hand side of the main reception counter in the entrance to County Hall in Newport. Both residents and visitors to the Island are welcome to come in and sign it.

A local lad with big ambitions

Mr Minghella, 54, was the son of Gloria and Edward Minghella who run an ice cream factory in Wootton. He attended Sandown Grammar School and St John's College, in Portsmouth, before graduating from Hull University.

Married to Hong Kong-born choreographer Carolyn Choa, Anthony Minghella was the first person to be given the freedom of the Isle of Wight. His brother, Dominic, is also a successful scriptwriter, and his son Max an actor. His sister Edna is currently involved in the Island's International Jazz Festival that is due to take place in Ventnor this year over the weekend of the 11-13 April.

Mr Minghella's distraught sister, Gioia Minghella, said: "We are a family in grief." Speaking at the home of Mr Minghella's parents in Ryde, Isle of Wight, she wept as she added: "We are all devastated."

Three years after winning the Oscar Mr Minghella, a Portsmouth fan, was nominated for the Academy Award for Adapted Screen Play for 1999's Talented Mr Ripley and 2003's Cold Mountain. During the 1980s, he worked in television, for the children's drama series Grange Hill for and The Storyteller series for Jim Henson. He also worked on episodes of Inspector Morse and his 1986 play Made in Bangkok found mainstream success in the West End. His 1990 feature Truly Madly Deeply, a drama he had written and directed for the anthology strand, bypassed its expected TV broadcast and received a cinema release.

More recently he worked in Botswana in Africa with fellow Brit Richard Curtis making The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency, an adaptation of Alexander McCall Smith's hit novel. The film is due to be screened on BBC1 over Easter.

A tremendous ambassador for the Island who will be solely missed

Isle of Wight Council leader David Pugh said: "We are deeply saddened to hear of the death of Anthony Minghella and we would like to extend our sympathy to his family. "He has been a tremendous ambassador for the Island and a great supporter of the community. He will be sorely missed."

Chairman of Isle of Wight Council, Councillor Roger Mazillius said: "He was an extremely talented man who rose to the very pinnacle of his career and remained a tremendous ambassador for the Isle of Wight throughout. He had remarkable talent and the Island was very proud of him. He will be greatly missed and on behalf of the whole council I would like to extend my deepest sympathy to his family."

It is thought that Anthony Minghella died from a brain haemorrhage at 5am today at Charing Cross Hospital in London following complications after a routine neck operation.

Text courtesy of the Southern Daily Echo

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