Dora Endre: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker

Be true to yourself, must be number one. We are all wired differently and that is alright. I have slowly grown to accept myself. My uniqueness as an individual brings a lot to my work. I can let my personality, views, doubts, fears, passion, childish curiosity and all the rest come through my work. If we try to zip all that up then, I think, we cannot be authentic and free.

As a part of our series called “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker”, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Dora Endre.

Dora is a writer-director who enjoys learning new skills, wearing different hats and asking questions. She is twenty-seven years old but already has an impressive body of work. This includes short movies, commercials, music videos, plays and a musical. Her projects span across different genres, forms and countries — primarily Hungary, Italy and the United States.

As a writer she has penned poems, screenplays, articles, film reviews and most recently a children’s book called “Magical Meadows: Rhymes and Mindfulness Exercises”. The colorful book is now being used in three primary schools, one in Hungary and two in the United States. Furthermore, Dora has had two of her film projects released this fall, one is a music video for a rock band and the other is a short movie about motherhood and legacy.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit of the ‘backstory’ of how you grew up?

Thank you for having me. Well, I grew up in a small village in the countryside of Hungary, surrounded by nature and an incredibly loving family. From my circle of old friends and family members, nobody is in the creative industries. My grandmother and her sister both had aspirations of becoming artists though.

My grandmother was interested in writing, she used to compose poems herself, while her sister had a beautiful voice. This sister was even offered a position in the Hungarian State Opera House. However, due to the family’s low financial status and fears of letting their eldest daughter move to the capital city, eventually, she was not allowed to accept the offer. What a shame.

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

I believe it was reading stories, playing with puppets, acting out little scenes with my friends and family. We have always been a playful group of grotesque ‘weirdos’. I remember walking around the neighborhood singing silly songs, playing badminton at midnight on the playground, or pretending to be animals. We have never cared for the public’s perception.

I was around seven when I wrote my first poems. I remember my dad doubting if it was me who came up with them. They were about war and tragic love. I can see why he thought those were peculiar topics for a seven-year-old to meditate on.

Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your filmmaking career?

I think I have had no shoots without unexpected and amusing moments or little “accidents”. I guess it is that under pressure, with time and budgetary constraints, things inevitably go wrong. For instance, we had a shoot in Italy in wintertime where one of the main locations, a classic mountainside building with a garden, also served as the accommodation for our cast and crew. The very first night a huge sea storm struck, which resulted in having no electricity and hot water for the following four days. Therefore, we all had to spend those nights in one living room, check dailies, prepare for the upcoming scenes, and rest together. I like those “no plans” scenarios that require adaptability and sticking together. They leave room for spontaneous creativity and make you not to take things too seriously.

Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?

I have been fortunate enough to meet loads of exciting, inspiring people so far. To me, anyone, from any profession is interesting if they are passionate about their job, life and other humans.

My family used to have an elderly neighbor, her name was Lucka, who was dedicated to her farm, cows and horses, caring for her neighbors, her family and enjoyed laughing hard. She had a gigantic mole in her beautiful, soft face. She used to ride her bike up and down our street. To me, she was an exciting eccentric character.

I could also mention a friend from New York. He is always busy with a number of projects, socially sensitive and attentive of his collaborators and friends. He is a wonderful leader. There is always much to learn from him, how he never misses a chance to say “thank you” and “sorry”, how he pays attention to people.

Or I could talk about meeting the brilliant and candid Mike Leigh. Discussing his experiences and rapport with the late great Peter Brook was mind-blowing. Just imagining those two masterminds in one room. All in all, I believe there are lots of interesting people around us, we just have to realize what is exciting in them.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

My parents. They are the most loving, supporting, entertaining people on this planet. No matter what problem or obstacle comes up, my mother always says “Come, we will find a solution together.” That is one of the many pieces of wisdom I got from them. It is interesting to see how a phrase like that turns into a conditioned attitude. How, after a while, repetition makes it become an automatic response, a tool for bouncing back amidst difficulties.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

My mother’s “Come, we will find a solution together.” is a good example of that. Or my father always says “Don’t only pay attention to what is being said, pay attention to who says it too.” At least, by mentioning quotes from the both of them, they can have no argument about who is included in this interview and who is not. (She laughs)

I am very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?

I believe that in order to create relevant and truthful pieces of work, it is essential to incorporate different perspectives, opinions and life experiences. Skin color, gender, age, origin, all bring much value to the table and should get room to flourish. Equal representation, diversity and inclusion are burning matters. They are, they have been, and realistically speaking, they will always be. We have to face our history with its injustice and horror, analyze consequences, learn from mistakes. Fundamentally we are all the same, wanting to love and be loved. Happy to express ourselves, tell our stories and listen to those of others.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

I have just had my new music video and short movie released. The music video (“Andalgo / Going About Dreamily”) is the result of a great collaborative process with an indie rock band. We came up with murky, semi-apocalyptic graphics for the song that taps into social problems and our attitude towards issues unfolding around us. The guys’ message is clear, we cannot stay inside our own ego bubble.

The short movie (“Can You Hear What The Lilac Branches Are Whispering?”) was released shortly before All Saints’ Day. It is a brief meditation on motherhood, the most fundamental and vital connection in our lives, and the behavior patterns that we inherit from our ancestry. It is a bit of an ode to all the loving, hard-working, opinionated mothers in my family and of course, in any family.

Another project “fresh out of the oven” is my first children’s book. “Magical Meadows: Rhymes and Mindfulness Exercises” came out this September. Writing and illustrating the book, going back to my roots, evoking the experimenting and playful side we all have as children, were wonderful. “Magical Meadows” put me on an exciting journey; creating, publishing, talking about early life mindfulness on different platforms, having in-depth conversations with social workers and teachers, and introducing the book in three primary schools.

Which aspect of your work makes you most proud? Can you explain or give a story?

Sharing stories that resonate with people, being part of conversations — whether it is one on a personal or on a social scale. Expressing myself, questioning myself, looking at topics through the lens of different characters, trying to understand people and situations make me joyful and proud. I enjoy creating, experimenting with forms, language, movement, combining all sorts of elements.I love to observe and absorb, not only stories but also strangers walking down the street, talking with each other, their body language, their impulses and reactions, their nuances.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.

1. Be true to yourself, must be number one. We are all wired differently and that is alright. I have slowly grown to accept myself. My uniqueness as an individual brings a lot to my work. I can let my personality, views, doubts, fears, passion, childish curiosity and all the rest come through my work. If we try to zip all that up then, I think, we cannot be authentic and free.
2. Do not let others’ frustration influence you. I think most of us had teachers who discouraged us. Those negative comments and disheartening lines tend to stick like glue. I remember a writing teacher telling me my script was unsellable according to the mainstream trends in Hollywood. He claimed my writing style resembled that of European surrealist filmmakers. I am too shy to name names here. Let’s just say, this teacher very much disliked those auteurs, his comments were not complimentary at all. He had this sudden rant in front of the class. It was a clear sign of his own frustration for not selling his work. His hurt for having others, who he considered to be less talented, do well in the industry. In retrospect, it is all clear. He was projecting. However, in that moment, I remember how his words made me start doubting my cinematic roots from Europe, my own voice, my love for the work of certain filmmakers. If this was to happen today, I would simply stand up and leave the class.
3. Be kind to everyone, even to people who are not kind to you. Good deeds, little gestures of politeness and kindness circle back. They also create inner peace. I had some disastrous quarrels in my professional life, major disagreements with collaborators. Once, we were working on a play with my producing partner when our differences as humans came to the surface. She was looking down on people, treating stagehands, and stage managers, even the owner of the venue in a really impolite way. I was shocked. She started making chaotic decisions, communicating in a discouraging and angry way to people, all behind my back. I did not know how to handle her and make her back off. Today, I would speak up and eventually resolve the matter with clarity and kindness.
4. Do not worry too much about things. I think we all tend to think and worry too much, which is a complete waste of time. Especially looking back at things in the past. My mother is right, there is always a way to resolve things together, and if it takes time or patience, so be it. I used to be a lot more impatient. I used to try and put projects together, shoot them, get them over with as fast as possible. I would always look for the next challenge on the horizon. And if something had not fallen into place, I would have got frustrated and tried to immediately “extinguish the fire”. Now, I focus on being prepared, ready for the time when it feels right to catch that fish, greenlight that project. I take my own time too.
5. Work on yourself and enjoy doing nothing in your “Me Time”. I think teaching classes about how to sink into the present moment, slow down, and pay attention to the little wonders of life should be part of every school’s curriculum. A class like that would have come in handy for me, for sure.

The English poet, William Martin sums this up wonderfully:

“Do not ask your children to strive for extraordinary lives.

Such striving may be admirable but it is the way of foolishness.

Help them instead to find the wonder and the marvel of an ordinary life.

Show them the joy of tasting tomatoes, apples, and pears.

Show them how to cry when pets and people die.

Show them the infinite pleasure in the touch of a hand.

And make the ordinary come alive for them.

The extraordinary will take care of itself.”

Life is so hectic and fast, moreover, this industry requires insane working hours and level of concentration. We have to switch from a creative task to a highly rational one, multiple times a day. There is a lot of infotoxicity. For instance, going from editing to negotiating with investors, from a rehearsal to doing research on market trends. Learning tools to drop all that, centralize and root ourselves is key, I think. Doing nothing on my days off. Only sipping a mug of hot cocoa and watching how leaves fall from a tree. Submerging in gratefulness for what and who I have.

When you create a film, which stakeholders have the greatest impact on the artistic and cinematic choices you make? Is it the viewers, the critics, the financiers, or your own personal artistic vision? Can you share a story with us or give an example about what you mean?

I create things without considering any of that. If I was to consider what audiences, critics, investors, producers would be happy to see then I was only looking for ways to satisfy needs. I work from a much more instinctive place, fueled by emotions, contemporary events, creative inspirations. Generally speaking, I tend not to feed expectations.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I have always looked up to people who started NGOs, museums, alternative theaters, schools, homeless shelters, any place that serves others, serves a local or the global community. One day, I would be happy to found a creative hub. A small place where artists can have exhibitions, where there is second-hand book exchange going on in one corner, coffee and cake served in another. It would come with a hall where any passersby can get cozy, chat or work. The place would also have a little auditorium for staging plays, having workshops, stand-up nights and movie marathons. I am seeing it as a welcoming and warm “nest” where people can goof around, show their work, mingle and feel connected to themselves and to each other.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this. :-)

That is a tough one. There are so many exciting contemporary figures. Today I say, I would invite Peter Sellars, William Kentridge and Ruben Östlund for brunch. Put cameras in every corner of the room and see what happens once they ease into the situation and start chatting over the table. I bet it would be complete creative chaos.

How can our readers further follow you online?

Readers can see my work and most recent updates on my website and on my Vimeo channel. Here you can find all the important links https://linktr.ee/doraendre.

I detest social media with its profoundly harming effects so I am not an active user.

This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!