Anthony Minghella

Our darling Anthony (pictured above with his parents, Gloria and Edward, sisters Gioia, Edana and Loretta and brother Dominic) died on Tuesday 18 March 2008.

Our warmest thanks to all our well-wishers for the beautiful messages of condolence.

Click here to read Dom's tribute to Ant

Anthony was born and educated on the Isle of Wight. His parents believe that it was the close community and the special ambience of the Island which helped contribute to his amazing skills as a writer and film director.

Anthony first displayed an extraordinary ability to entertain when he took part in Sandown Grammar School productions. His performance in the Admirable Crichton and also in 1066 and All That won great praise from local critics. He went on to gain a First Class Honours Degree in English with Drama at Hull University, returning to study for his Ph.D. It was at 21 years of age he was offered a one year contract to lecture in the Department. One year became seven years, at the end of which he took a year off, to script edit Grange Hill for the BBC.

It was to be the beginning of a meteoric rise to fame which makes the Minghella name known throughout the world, and synonymous with excellence.

His successes included an Emmy, Baftas, Writers Guild, Directors Guild, Sony awards, the Prix Italia, Giles Cooper Award, The Vittorio di Sica Gold Medal awarded by the Italian Film Industry, and of course the Golden Gobes and Oscar for The English Patient. In the Queens Birthday Honours List 2001, Anthony was awarded the CBE, which for Anthony was the ultimate accolade and a source of great pride for him, his family and for the Isle of Wight.