YP Comment: From Hull to Hollywood

ANTHONY Minghella was a student in Hull and later became a lecturer there before going on to establish himself as a Hollywood great, so it is fitting that the place he once called home is honouring the much-missed film director with a special retrospective as part of next year's UK City of Culture celebrations.

Minghella was one of Hull’s biggest cultural exports, becoming a towering figure in the film industry thanks to a string of hugely successful films including The Talented Mr Ripley, Cold Mountain and The English Patient.

His untimely death at the age of 54 in 2008 left a huge gap in British cultural life, but his legacy can still be seen in Hull in the shape of the city’s university which is home to the Anthony Minghella studio where new generations of aspiring film-makers hone their craft.

The Oscar-winning director never forgot the crucial, formative years he spent in Hull and the city hasn’t forgotten him. He was, and remains, a genuine titan of cinema.

In its year as city of culture, a unique honour from Hull for Anthony Minghella