THE FIFTH PROJECT OF YOUNG FILMMAKERS

At today's meeting with the young director Štěpán Havlín, a contract was signed for financial assistance for the completion of the documentary DIPTYCH. Štěpán approached the Jiří Menzel Foundation with a request for a contribution. He is preparing a film double portrait of painter Květa Monhartová and sculptor Miroslava Nová. We were intrigued by the topic and so we accepted.  The signing took place symbolically in the restaurant 500 Na Valech. It was Jiří Menzel's favourite restaurant and he was a frequent guest there, as he lived in the same house. So hopefully this will bring good luck to the young creators. Fingers crossed!

Screenwriter and director Matouš Cardal is about to make a new movie Anticipation

The Jiří Menzel Endowment Found has contributed to the emergence of another student short film. The script for Anticipation was written by Matouš Cardal, who will also direct the movie. Tereza Sokolová is in charge of making sure that everything is in place for the shooting. It will start in a few days and we will have the opportunity to see the new work at the end of January 2025. Matouš Cardal and Tereza Sokolová are walking away with a blue folder containing a signed contract about our financial contribution. We believe we have just sponsored an exciting project.

We support a student film

The Jiří Menzel Endowment Found supports not only older artists whose health complications make it impossible for them to pursue their original careers, but it also supports the younger generation in their creative endeavors. We have just provided financial assistance to a group of film school students who are planning to make a short film set in television setting called An Intermittent Signal. The central themes are archiving, digitalization, working with old and new media, the conflict between generations, and coming to terms with the reality of everyday life. As Kamila Mysíková informed us, they plan to present the completed product at domestic festivals such as Mladá kamera (Young Camera) or České vize (Czech Imagination), at which their most recent film Your Train Will Be Delayed was also awarded. The young filmmakers hope that this movie could eventually help them to advance into their full-blown professional careers. We keep our fingers crossed for them! The photo was taken during the signing of the contract for the production of An Intermittent Signal between the Jiří Menzel Endowment Found represented by Míla Řádová, and the young filmmaker Kamila Mysíková.

We also support Jitka Zelenohorská

Time is flying by and it's taking its toll on everyone's health. Even the movie stars. We just remembered Jitka Zelenohorská, the star of the seventies. She appeared in many films, but the public will probably remember her best from Jiří Menzel's Closely Watched Trains, Larks on a String, and Crime in the Music Hall. This actress was always open to various cultural events and was happy to participate. She would go with a film delegation to Lodenice to celebrate the anniversary of Closely Watched Trains, or to events of the Jiří Menzel Foundation. She has not been on location for several years now. Health permitting, she attends events. But she needs assistance, especially with her walking. That's why we decided that she should receive some symbolic financial help from the Jiri Menzel Endowment Found to pay for her physical therapy. We are delighted that we can help.

A flower for Karel Heřmánek

Today, on September 7, a farewell to Karel Heřmánek will take place at the Bez Zábradlí Theater. Jiří Menzel maintained a long-standing relationship with him personally and with the Bez Zábradlí Theatre. He had directed five plays there, two of which are still being performed today: "Dinner for Schmucks", which has already had over 920 runs and is still in the repertoire, and "Where Were You Last Night”. In 2022, the Bez Zábradlí Theatre in cooperation with the Jiří Menzel Endowment Found organised a festival dedicated to the honor of the important Czech movie maker and theatre director Jiří Menzel. The plays he directed were presented there and his award winning movies were also screened. A few days ago, we learned that Karel Heřmánek, a Czech acting legend and the spirit of the theatre had gone to the artistic heaven. On behalf of the Jiří Menzel Endowment Found, we send flowers and remembrances. Hopefully, Jiří and Karel will have some good times up there and come up with new projects for the local audience. We keep our fingers crossed for the Bez Zábradlí Theatre to continue to thrive in the years to come and to eventually come to terms with the loss of its founder. We are confident that the family will also keep the fond memories and will have enough strength to continue Karel Heřmánek's work.

Jiří Menzel's 4^th death anniversary

Jiří Menzel passed away four years ago, but his work and legacy remain. The Jiří Menzel Endowment Found is still in operation. The family and friends remember. The memorial sites have been redecorated. This time, the Bubeníčková Floral Studio produced decorations for both the house and the grave at Vyšehrad Cemetery. It is thematically connected with his film Closely Watched Trains. We hope that on this occasion, you will also remember Jiří Menzel. Here's just a snippet of his wife Olga's touching remembrance: ".... When I look at our last photos together... You can see nothing but love in them. Love without conditions. What will we have left at the end of our lives and what is really important? It's not the potential belongings and valuables, but the closest loved ones who hug us, hold our hand, and don't ever leave us alone. To be there for the other person when he or she needs us. That which is real and true, through which you recognize where you stand in life. The closeness and the presence of your loved ones who either are or not.We were darn lucky to have found each other in life. That's what you've always used to say. Thank you, my dear Jiří, and see you again someday."

Meeting in July in Kunratice u Cvikova

Come to the Crystal Temple on July 6 at 2 pm, where the exhibition The Capricious Journeys of Jiří Menzel is in full swing, as well as an exhibition by local glassmaker Jiří Pačinek. If you are interested in seeing for yourself how glass is transformed into various objects in his hands, he will welcome you to his glassworks. The exhibition will be open to the public until September 1, 2024. More photos are available for viewing HERE.

Jiří on the road

Visit the Crystal Church in Kunratice by Cvikov beginning on 25 May and admire the art and craft of the local glassmakers. As a bonus, you will have the opportunity to see the interior exhibition Capricious Journeys, which chronicles the life and work of Jiří Menzel. The exhibition will be open to the general public until September 1, 2024. The opening ceremony will take place on May 25, 2024 at 3 pm and everyone is most welcome.  Photo gallery HERE.  

A Caprisious evening

A social evening in the Troja Castle complex brought together not only legends of Czech and foreign movie industry, but also the contemporary music and fine arts elite.The Slováčeks, father and son, and violinist Pavel Šporcl played and sang during the evening. In the charity auction, to which artists such as Jiří Anderle, Stanislav Kolíbal, Martin Krajc, Magdalena Jetelová, Siegfried Herz, Pačinek Glassworks and others donated their artworks, we raised an incredible CZK 1.8 million. The evening was hosted by the renowned presenter Marek Eben.For the support of this evening, we would like to thank the City of Prague and especially the Mayor of Prague, who took over the auspices of the entire evening, our long-time partners ČSOB and ČEPS, the STOPKA kitchen studio, the Kofola Company, the Kodl Gallery, which ran the entire auction, as well as the U Malířů Restaurant and the Almanac Hotel, which provided accommodation for our international guests. More photos are available HERE.

Capricious Journeys in Nymburk

A guided tour opened an exhibition about the life and work of director Jiří Menzel. Seventeen panels in the Pod Hradbami Park were not only illustrating the process of making movies and Jiří’s work as a director. Olga Menzelová remembered her husband and appreciated the location of the exhibition with the city walls in the background. The photographs on display were complemented by a personal tribute to Jiří by his long-time collaborator Míla Řádová. Among the guests was actress Jitka Zelenohorská (Closely Watched Trains, Larks on a Thread). The distinguished visitor was welcomed on behalf of the town by the Vice-Mayor Stanislava Tichá. The event was attended by the city and the Polabské Museum representatives respectively including the Muzeum’s director Jan Vinduška. The event was hosted by the Central Bohemian Region. The Capricious Journeys of Jiří Menzel exhibition was held in Nymburk from May 19 to June 13, 2023.

Birthday

On February 23, 2024, Jiří Menzel would have celebrated his 86th birthday. Many thanks go to the Bubeníčková Floral Studio for her beautiful floral arrangements!

A handcar from Closely Watched Trains at Prague's Main Train Station

In December 2022, a handcar from Jiří Menzel's Oscar-winning movie Ostře sledované vlaky (Closely Watched Trains) was unveiled at Prague's Main Train Station to commemorate the celebrated director's 85th birthday. The ceremony was attended by Olga Menzelová, Minister of Transportation Martin Kupka, the General Director of the Railway Management Jiří Svoboda, and the Executive Manager of the National Technical Museum Karel Ksandr. 

Evenings on HAMU

On May 12 and 13, 2023, we had the opportunity to witness two evenings on the premises of the HAMU (Prague Academy of Performing Arts), where important actors got together and had the opportunity to see an exhibition of Jiří Menzel's life and work called "Capricious Journeys". The evening also featured an auction of several items donated by Jiří's friends. We would like to thank everyone for the extraordinary atmosphere in a lovely setting. More photos HERE.

So, Jiří is finally at Vyšehrad Cemetery

In October 2022, the laying of the urn in Jiří Menzel's gravesite took place at Vyšehrad Cemetery. No journalists were invited, as we only shared this information with the public through a message on Facebook. Jiří Menzel thus already has his final home address. Today, an extraordinary tombstone was unveiled at Vyšehrad Cemetery, designed by David Vávra, sculptor Petr Váňa, and prodiced by stonemason and restorer Tomáš Váňa. The inlay of marble-lettering was done by David Beneš and a professional assistance was provided by Ondřej Šefců. Jiří’s image was created in the likeness of Arnostek, the character he played in The Capricious Summer. The glass filling set in white marble from the island of Brač changes its colours depending on the angle of viewing and also on whether the sun is shining or not. Josef Petrásek and Petr Krumphanzl played Jiří Suchý's song "Goodbye", Petra Hobzová remembered important moments from Jiří Menzel's life, David Vávra recited his poem "In Arnoštek's Footsteps", and Olga Menzelová unveiled Jiří Menzel's tombstone following her own short remarks. The meeting of family, friends, and colleagues was held without the media, without tears, and in the form of a happening, just as Jiří would have liked it. You could feel the sense of mutual connection among those present, because they all had loved him and still do. We couldn't invite everyone Jiří had ever known. But nothing prevents you from visiting Vyšehrad Cemetery when you are around. You can't miss the tombstone. It shines on the entire area the way Jiří had done in his lifetime.

Jiří Menzel Festival at the Bez Zábradlí Theater

The Jiří Menzel Festival at the Bez Zábradlí Theater took place from April 23 to April 28, 2022. The festival included an opening gala night attended by 300 guests, close colleagues, and friends. From abroad, the much loved actor János Bán (Vesničko má středisková / My Sweet Little Village) also arrived. The evening featured an auction of Jiří Menzel's memorabilia. The proceeds from the auction went to the Jiří Menzel Endowment Found. An indoor exhibition, The Capricious Journeys of Jiri Menzel, was housed in the theatre, The show closed on June 27, 2022. Screenings of Jiri Menzel films were held on subsequent days of the festival, featuring actors from his movies and commentaries by film historian Jan Lukeš. A prominent part of the festival involved four theatrical performances originally directed by Jiří Menzel at the Bez Zábradlí Theater. Photos from the event are available HERE.