Director Minghella dies aged 54

British film director Anthony Minghella has died at the age of 54, his agent has said.

Minghella, whose films include Truly, Madly, Deeply and Cold Mountain, was chairman of the British Film Institute.

In 1996, he won an Oscar for directing The English Patient and was also Oscar-nominated for writing the screenplay for 1999's The Talented Mr Ripley.

He has also directed a TV episode of book The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, due to be screened this Easter.

A 90-minute pilot, directed by Minghella and co-written with Richard Curtis, is due to be screened on BBC One.

Minghella began his career as a writer with his early radio plays winning several awards.

He made his first film, Truly, Madly, Deeply, in 1991, followed by The English Patient and The Talented Mr Ripley.

When he took on the role of chairman of the British Film Institute (BFI) in 2003, he told the BBC: "We're not getting enough movies made here, our studios aren't busy enough, we don't have enough studios.

"We're not good at lassoing the talent we have here and containing it within the British Isles, and we should all be working to address that."

Very sad he did loads of work with Juliette Binoche :sex:.

Aberdeen Order were only watching a documentary about that No1 Detective Agency at the weekend.

Rev Big wrote: Aberdeen Order were only watching a documentary about that No1 Detective Agency at the weekend.

indeed

The English Patient and Talented Mr Ripley are great films.Sad loss RIP

johnny wrote: The English Patient and Talented Mr Ripley are great films.Sad loss RIP

2 / 3 / / +

[seconded, thirded, agreed and amen.]

R.I.P. Minghella, Sir.

shit, had my nose to the grindstone all day, hadn't heard about this. he used to lecture in our dept at uni, met him a few times. really nice bloke. terrible, terrible shame.