Anthony Minghella dies at 54

The Oscar-winning British film director and playwright Anthony Minghella died this morning at the age of 54, his agent Judy Daish has confirmed. He suffered a haemorrhage following surgery on his neck in London's Charing Cross Hospital. Minghella is best known for directing The English Patient (above), the 1996 film adaptation of Michael Ondaatje's novel starring Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche and Kristin Scott Thomas.

He won an Oscar for best director for that film and was also Oscar-nominated for writing the screenplay for 1999's The Talented Mr Ripley starring Jude Law. He was recently in Botswana filming an episode for the television adaptation of Alexander McCall Smith's novel The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency due to be screened on BBC TV this Easter.

The director, whose other films included Truly, Madly, Deeply and Cold Mountain, was chairman of the British Film Institute for four years until this month, when he was succeeded by former BBC director-general Greg Dyke. (Continued below)

Minghella's career began in earnest with his first theatrical success, Whale Music, in 1981. He went on to work in television where he script-edited Grange Hill, the Storyteller series for Jim Henson and Inspector Morse. He achieved box office success with Truly Madly Deeply which he originally wrote for television.

Michael Ondaatje told The First Post today: "He was one of my dearest friends. He was always generous and inclusive with those who were close to him and with those who worked with him. I loved talking with him. The conversation always got to the quick. It is difficult to even imagine that we will not continue to share our works with each other."