--- description: TIME went backstage with Anthony Minghella on the set of his last ever movie, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. Photographs by Per-Anders Pettersson / Getty For TIME title: On Set With Anthony Minghella image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [World](/section/world/) * [LightBox](/tag/time-section-lightbox/) # On Set With Anthony Minghella by [TIME](/author/time/) Mar 18, 2008 4:00 AM CUT by [TIME](/author/time/) Mar 18, 2008 4:00 AM CUT TIME went backstage with Anthony Minghella on the set of his last ever movie,The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency.Photographs by Per-Anders Pettersson / Getty For TIME ### The Final Scene ### His Vision ### At Work  The actress and singer Jill Scott (left) listens to Minghella's direction. Previously, Minghella had directed actresses such as Nicole Kidman, Juliette Binoche, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kristin Scott Thomas and Renée Zellweger. The actress and singer Jill Scott (left) listens to Minghella's direction. Previously, Minghella had directed actresses such as Nicole Kidman, Juliette Binoche, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kristin Scott Thomas and Renée Zellweger. ### A Presidential Visit  Botswanan President Festus Mogae visits the set of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. Jeff Ramsay, press secretary to Mogae, said Minghella's death was a "shock and an utter loss." Botswanan President Festus Mogae visits the set of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. Jeff Ramsay, press secretary to Mogae, said Minghella's death was a "shock and an utter loss." ### Life Through A Lens  President Mogae looks through the camera of cinematographer Seamus McGarvey. President Mogae looks through the camera of cinematographer Seamus McGarvey. ### Lead Actress ### The Talented Mr. Minghella ### Exit Stage Left ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/archive/7056238/on-set-with-anthony-minghella/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/archive/7056238/on-set-with-anthony-minghella/"},"headline":"On Set With Anthony Minghella","datePublished":"2008-03-18T04:00:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T10:45:27.093Z","description":"TIME went backstage with Anthony Minghella on the set of his last ever movie, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. Photographs by Per-Anders Pettersson / Getty For TIME","url":"https://time.com/archive/7056238/on-set-with-anthony-minghella/","keywords":["LightBox"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"TIME","url":"https://time.com/author/time/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-lightbox/","name":"LightBox"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/archive/7056238/on-set-with-anthony-minghella/","name":"On Set With Anthony Minghella"}}]}] ```