Screening to honour the late Anthony Minghella

Actor Jude Law and jazz trumpeter and composer Guy Barker will introduce a screening of 'The Talented Mr Ripley' today as part of a weekend-long memorial event for Oscar-winning director Anthony Minghella who died last year.

Law is expected to join other major figures of the UK film industry including Alan Rickman and Lord David Puttnam and the director’s family and friends for the launch of the annual event during the Minghella Movie Marathon, which is taking place over the weekend in Newport, Isle of Wight.

Minghella, who grew up in Ryde on the island, where his family still runs an ice cream business, died at the age of 54 last March after suffering a haemorrhage days after having surgery for cancer of the tonsils and neck.

His films included The English Patient, which won nine Oscars, 'Truly, Madly Deeply', 'Cold Mountain', 'The Talented Mr Ripley and his last production 'The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency'.

The Minghella Movie Marathon began last night with a screening of 'Truly, Madly, Deeply' hosted by the director’s sister, Gioia Minghella, and introduced by stars Rickman and Michael Maloney.

Today’s screening of 'The Talented Mr Ripley' will be followed by an “audience with” event hosted by Law.

Other stars attending the weekend’s events include Martin Freeman and Kevin Whately.

A press conference will also be held at Medina High School today by Lord Puttnam and Law, as well as members of the Minghella family to announce plans for an annual event “conceived in the spirit and memory of Anthony Minghella”.

In a statement on behalf of the Minghella family, the director’s brother Dominic and sister Gioia said: “Anthony was passionate about everything he loved, including film-making and the Isle of Wight.

“It seems entirely fitting to celebrate his memory with a movie marathon on the island and we look forward to welcoming his many, many film industry friends to Newport this weekend.”

A full programme of events can be found at www.minghellafilmfestival.com.