Anthony Minghella: A Life in Pictures

Anthony Minghella, major British writer and director, shared: “I am not really a director – what I am is a writer who’s able to direct the films that he writes.”

Minghella won three BAFTA nominations for his epic romantic war film The English Patient. And he was also nominated for hit literary adaptation The Talented Mr Ripley and period drama Cold Mountain.

Speaking to a packed audience at a special Life in Pictures BAFTA event, he shared the inside story behind his career including finding success in America.

“One of the things that is most notably different in America is that if you are embraced. You are almost completely embraced, without reservation, immediately,” he said.

“Suddenly the phone rings and Meryl Streep is calling. It was quite giddy – and I thought ‘I can pretend to be a director’”.

Watch a video of highlights from the event below:

Born on the Isle of Wight, Minghella started his screen career in TV in the 1980s, writing for series like Inspector Morse, Boon and Grange Hill. He also won a Giles Cooper Award for his radio drama Cigarettes and Chocolate.

In 1991 he wrote bitter-sweet drama Truly Madly Deeply for BBC’s Screen Two strand starring Juliet Stevenson as a woman struggling to cope with the death of her lover. The film was a massive international hit for which he scored his first BAFTA.

In the interview, Minghella also discussed his extensive work and career, including dealing with immediate success and puzzling out where his real talents lie.

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