Isle of Wight filmmaker Anthony Minghella will be remembered at a special thanksgiving service in Newport, at 3pm on 26 April. From midday today, the IW Council will accept applications from Islanders who want to join his family and friends at the ceremony - a limited number of tickets are being made available.
In a statement, Mr Minghella’s family said, “We will miss Anthony more than we can say…He was a wonderful son, husband, father, brother and uncle, who loved, and was loved, by all who knew him. His genius, and his gift of gentle human kindness, live on in his work and in the hearts of those he has so tragically left behind. He never forgot his Island roots, and was honoured to be made the first Freeman of the Isle of Wight.
The Ryde-born Oscar winner died in a London hospital last month, aged 54, days after an operation. The service will be held at the Minster Church of Sts Thomas. Applications for tickets should be made from noon today, to the Isle of Wight Council's civic office on 821000 or by email to
Julia.downer@iow.gov.uk.