MEET JUDE LAW!

JUDE Law is to be one of the special guests at the first Minghella Film Festival.

All of director Anthony Minghella's movies are to be screened again this weekend to commemorate the first anniversary of his most untimely death.

Friends, family and fans will gather on the Isle of Wight where his family is based to remember one of the greats of British cinema.

For full details, visit www.minghellafilmfestival.com

But Jude Law fans might light to know that there will be a screening of the 74-minute documentary Jude Law Climbing Cold Mountain from 2.30pm on Saturday at the Quay Arts Centre, Newport followed by an interview with the star himself from 3.45pm. Tickets are £10 and available from 01983 822490.

Other films showing on the island this weekend include Truly, Madly, Deeply (PG) (Friday, 6.30pm for 8pm) at Cineworld, Newport, hosted by Alan Rickman and Michael Maloney.

Jude Law, Guy Barker and Gioia Minghella will help to introduce The Talented Mr Ripley (15) from 2.30pm on Saturday at the Medina Theatre, Newport, followed by Lord David Puttman and Kevin Whately joining Gloria Minghella MBE for a black tie gala screening of the Oscar-winning hit The English Patient (15) from 6.15pm for 7.30pm in the same venue.

Sunday's screenings include Mr Wonderful, Breaking and Entering and Cold Mountain.

I remember meeting Anthony Minghella for the first time in March, 1997 when The English Patient was release. Your overwhelming impression was that he was a supremely talented man who just loved making films.

To have been cut short in his prime just 11 years later is most unfair and has probably robbed the cinema-going public of the chance to see at least half a dozen more movies that he might have directed, never mind the ones he was also producing.