Anthony Minghella 1954-2008

Anthony Minghella, celebrated for his work in film, theatre and TV Photograph: Eamonn McCabe/Guardian

Kristin Scott Thomas in The English Patient, adapted from the novel by Michael Ondaatje. Minghella wrote the screenplay and directed the film, which triumphed at the 1997 Academy Awards with nine gongs and earned him a best director Oscar Photograph: Kobal

Anthony Minghella holds up his best director Oscar for The English Patient at the Academy Awards in March 1997 Photograph: Sam Mircovich/Reuters

Kristin Scott Thomas, Alan Rickman and Juliet Stevenson starred in Play, Minghella's 2000 film of the short Samuel Beckett play Photograph: PR

Minghella directed The Talented Mr Ripley starring Jude Law, Matt Damon and Gwyneth Paltrow. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards including best screenplay Photograph: Kobal

Anthony Minghella outside the Screen on the Hill in Belsize Park in London for a Q&A about his film The Talented Mr Ripley, in 2000 Photograph: Andrew Stuart/PA

In 2004, Minghella's film Cold Mountain, set in the final days of the American civil war, and starring Nicole Kidman and Jude Law, was nominated for seven Academy Awards Photograph: Kobal

Minghella made his operatic debut in 2005 when he directed Madam Butterfly at the Coliseum in London Photograph: Tristram Kenton

Minghella's Madam Butterfly was staged at the Metropolitan Opera in 2006. Here, general manager Peter Gelb greets Minghella before a dress rehearsal Photograph: Diane Bondareff/AP

Jill Scott and Anika Noni Rose in one of Minghella's most recent projects - the dramatisation of the Botswana-set comedy The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith Photograph: BBC