The foundation of the Jiří Menzel Endowment was inspired by an extremely diffi cult situa-tion that Jiří and I were experiencing. For three years, he was dependent on the round-the-clock care provided by others. He spent two years at home. If I had had no job, if I had not been doing well in it, and if we hadn't used the savings that Jirka had for our girls to study, we would never have achieved this comfort. Just because you're seen in the media doesn't mean you have a plethora of funds.

One of the goals of this Endowment is to raise funds for distinguished artists who fi nd themselves in a situation similar to Jirka's. To give them the opportunity that we gave Jirka through our own eff orts. To help them live out their lives in peace and dignity.

The Jiří Menzel Endowment fund was established

• To support prominent artists who have contributed to the promotion of Czech culture with an international reach, in the event of their social distress due to health complications.
• To ensure the preservation of Jiří Menzel's work and its proper use in cultural activities.
• To secure acquisition and maintenance of memorial symbols commemorating the actor and director Jiří Menzel.
• To provide assistance to aspiring artists (actors, directors, etc.) in the field of film art.
• To organize seminars, artists' meetings, and other cultural activities.

The purpose of the Endowment fund is also to raise funds to support the activities of the Endowment fund itself, to organize cultural, sporting, and social events, and to protect and develop humanitarian values in the fi eld of fi lm art. It builds on Jiří Menzel's lifelong eff orts to develop Czech fi lmmaking and on his artistic legacy.