PICTURE GALLERY
AN EXTRAORDINARY weekend on the Island saw film superstar Jude Law speak movingly of his deep affection and respect for film director Anthony Minghella during a marathon film festival commemorating the life and work of the celebrated film director.
The three-day film festival, held in Newport, saw a host of stars from stage and screen line up to pay tribute to Island son Mr Minghella, who tragically died last year.
Among them were
Inspector Morse
star Kevin Whately, Martin Freeman, star of the hit TV show
The Office
and
Harry Potter
star Alan Rickman, all of whom remain close friends with the Minghella family.
On Saturday, star-struck fans heard Mr Law talk of his admiration for Mr Minghella’s family in staging the three-day movie marathon — so close to the anniversary of Mr Minghella’s early death, aged just 54 on March 18 last year.
He said: “He was a very dear friend and a like mind. It is still shockingly close to the time we lost Anthony, it has struck me in recent days.”
Introducing a screening of his hit film,
The Talented Mr Ripley
, he revealed how Mr Minghella had urged him to “eat at the best restaurants” and enjoy italy when he made the movie.
But, he joked, Mr Minghella had made up for it when he made
Cold Mountain
, “making me drag dead animals around.”
On Saturday night, Kevin Whately appeared at a glittering gala screening of Mr Minghella’s multi-Oscar winning smash hit,
The English Patient
, In which he appears as an army sergeant.
He revealed he still had a copy of the script to the movie, which he treasured. The two men met when Mr Minghella wrote the first three episodes of
Inspector Morse
.
On Sunday, Martin Freeman joked that although Mr Minghella had an enormous intellect, he took pleasure in being an idiot.
He said: “Being stupid was one of his favourite pastimes.”
Mr Minghella’s sister, Gioia, revealed that the Minghella family wanted to stage a bigger festival on the Isle of Wight next year.
She said: “It has been a wonderful experience and we are sure this is something we will be building on. We definitely want to do something next year.”
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www.iwcpgallery.co.uk
below.
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