ANWAR Brett, who has died from cancer aged 47, was one of the country’s top regional film writers.

Born in Boscombe, he went to school in Oakdale and at Queen Elizabeth’s School in Wimborne.

He met his future wife Tracey in the late 1980s when they were both working Saturday shifts at Safeway.

Anwar recalled that his first press screening was of the 1988 Rob Lowe thriller Masquerade, at Bournemouth’s Westover Road. He returned the next night to see The Last Temptation of Christ.

He quickly became established as a critic, contributing reviews to the Daily Echo for many years and writing for a long list of publications including Total Film, Flicks, Film Review and the Guardian.

In 1992, the Guild of Regional Film Writers named him its Regional Film Writer of the Year.

He was a regular at London screenings and press conferences with major film stars. But he was interested in the people behind the camera and said a career highlight was meeting Fred Zinnemann, director of High Noon and A Man for All Seasons.

He was pleased that he came to know Dorset resident Oswald Morris, the Oscar-winning cinematographer on Fiddler on the Roof, Oliver!, The Man With the Golden Gun and The Man Who Would Be King.

In 2011, Anwar published his first book, Dorset In Film.

Anwar also had an enormous knowledge of boxing. He cited Muhammad Ali as his hero and was thrilled to interview Barry McGuigan at the boxer’s home. He was also a keen fan of Liverpool Football Club.

In recent years, Anwar hosted several Q&A events at the Rex Cinema.

Julie Sharman, of the Rex, said he had become a good friend of the venue and the Purbeck Film Festival. “We are honoured that we were able to work with him and to also come to know his lovely family,” she said.

Anwar and Tracey were married for 19 years and have two daughters, Sian, 18, and Livvy, 13.

His funeral is on Tuesday, December 10, at Poole Crematorium at 12.30pm, with a reception afterwards at the Dudsbury pub and restaurant in West Parley.