Stars celebrate Minghella's work

Anthony Minghella won nine Oscars for the 1995 film The English Patient

Actors Jude Law and Alan Rickman have joined film producer Lord Puttnam at the launch of a weekend-long memorial event for director Anthony Minghella.

The Oscar-winning director, whose work includes The English Patient, died suddenly at the age of 54, a year ago.

The Minghella Movie Marathon, which takes place on the director's beloved Isle of Wight, celebrates his work.

Announcements will include plans for an annual event "conceived in the spirit and memory of Anthony".

Screenings of Minghella's films will take place across the weekend.

Law, who worked with Minghella on many of his best-known films, will introduce The Talented Mr Ripley, and a documentary on the making of Cold Mountain.

'Passionate'

Actors and colleagues Martin Freeman and Kevin Whateley, and jazz musician Guy Barker, will also attend the event in Newport.

"Anthony was passionate about everything he loved, including film-making and the Isle of Wight," said a statement released by his brother Dominic and sister Gioia, who are hosting the event.

"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 series based on Minghella's final work - a TV film based on the Alexander McCall Smith's novels The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - begins on BBC One on Sunday.