An Inspired Chat with Dora Endre of New York

Dora Endre shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Dora, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I treat my morning routine like fuel for the creative engine: if I skip it, I feel it all day. It kicks off when my alarm goes off and I take a quiet moment to set an intention or repeat a little mantra. It might be something practical like “Pursue my goals with confidence” or on a day-off something like “Slow down, just be.” I’ll repeat a few kindness affirmations “May everyone be well and happy, may I be well and happy”, and then I pull the curtains and drink a big glass of water while watching the light shift outside. Sunshine is a bonus.

From there, it’s the usual morning things, often with the Italian news from RAI playing in the background, followed by a light but abundant breakfast (usually eggs and fruit). Then, I move. A quick run or some power yoga. Regular workouts help me stay focused and on shoots, travel days, long edits – plus, they keep my cortisol down and my mood up.
Then comes the best jolt of all: a cold shower (or a bath if I’ve got time). It beats coffee, seriously, and triggers a lovely dopamine rush. After that, I make a smoothie with fruit, nuts, my favorite protein powder (acai + banana = magic), and a green mix with spirulina. One last thing before I dive into work: a quick round of EFT tapping with affirmations.

It might sound like a lot, but once it’s a habit, it’s just my rhythm. And I find that having structure early on gives me more space to take risks creatively. Routine gives me the frame, so the rest of the day can be wild and fully alive. I’m always happy to see others build little rituals for themselves, it beats running around all day in full “headless chicken” mode.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a director, producer, and writer based in New York, with roots (and current projects) stretching across Italy, Hungary, and the U.S. My background is a bit of a patchwork, in the best way. I studied Media and International Communications in Budapest, filmmaking in Florence and NYC, and trained in theatre at LSTFI. Along the way, I added a few unexpected stops, like neurobiology and team sports psychology at FC Barcelona’s BIHUB, and trainings in children’s rights, leadership, and refugee facilitation. It’s all connected for me, curiosity leads the way.

Over the past seven years, I’ve directed musicals, Off-Broadway shows, short films, and image videos, produced commercial work for clients like Newsweek, AVID, and American Ancestors at Arbor, and written everything from screenplays and articles to a children’s book, Magical Meadows, now in its second edition. My work has appeared in places like Glamour, CanvasRebel, and Marie Claire, where I’m currently writing a summer series called La Dolce Vita, blending iconic Italian film, strong women, and my favorite cafés, one city at a time.

I’m also a lifelong motorsports fan, currently developing Formula 1-focused film projects and traveling to races and archives. (Yes, I was that kid jumping off furniture pretending to be Schumacher.)

At the moment, I’m wrapping festival submissions for Disconnected, a quiet short I directed and shot, and shifting gears into new narrative work while balancing the fast-paced world of production and post. I tend to work in focused blocks, one or two major priorities per month, and fiercely protect my weekends. Doing nothing is part of the process too. I think we all need more space to just be, listen, recharge. Especially as creatives.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
What breaks the bonds between people? I think it often starts with fear, fearful or anxious attachment patterns, usually rooted in early life experiences. A lot of people, unfortunately, never learned what safe, consistent love feels like. And when that’s missing, it’s incredibly hard to offer it to others. You end up asking someone to give what they never received, and that’s a tricky, often painful dynamic.

But what restores those bonds is almost surprisingly simple: gentleness, consistency, presence. Sometimes I feel like all of us just need a good hug every day, something simple, grounding and non-negotiable. It doesn’t have to be dramatic. Just quiet acts of care and real listening. Of course, connection only works when it’s mutual.

What breaks people apart is often a lack of presence. When I’m talking to someone and they’re looking at a screen, or driving through a work meeting, or simply not there, I feel it, and I call it out. We’ve normalized distraction, but it eats away at trust and intimacy. And for people caught in their phones and their excuses, it can become a bubble they don’t even realize they’re living in. The self becomes the only reference point.

I think the fix isn’t grand though. It’s small, human, and intentional: show up, stay present, and make space for others the way you wish they’d make space for you. Put in the work, and that always shows.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Oh, it happens every other day. A gig doesn’t come together, a friend vanishes, someone says something hurtful, or there’s a difficult family moment, a confusing meeting, health issues, something always comes up that makes me think, “What’s the point of pushing through?”

But I’ve learned it’s not really about never giving up. Sometimes, you do give up, for a moment, for a day. And that’s okay. I let myself feel low when I need to. I step back, I slow down, and I give myself permission to not be productive or “on” all the time. That pause, oddly enough, is what helps me realign.

I try to let something larger in: God, peace, stillness, whatever word fits, and let that guide me quietly forward. A walk in the sun, a moment in the garden, a great conversation or podcast, and gradually, the energy returns. Things always shift. Life has its own rhythm, and we cannot control it all – probably we cannot control most of it, actually.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
One thing I can say for sure is that I don’t try to present a polished or different version of myself publicly. What you see is who I am. I say yes when something feels aligned, and no when it doesn’t. And I’m not really sure how people perceive me, to be honest, and if I’m curious, I usually just ask. I like being direct, it makes life easier.

I’ve found that when people ignore their true feelings or try to be someone they’re not, it eventually manifests in one form or another, often in ways they didn’t expect. So to me, it’s actually much simpler and more energy-efficient to just be yourself. That doesn’t mean I’m not constantly working on myself or growing – I am – but it also means I can be fallible, vulnerable, have bad days, get sad or frustrated.

At the same time, I know that I care deeply, I listen, I show up, and I have a huge amount of drive. All of that is me. And personally, I don’t want to hide any of it. How people perceive that, well, that’s mostly their business, not mine.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
The simple answer is yes. My intrinsic motivation is very strong, I’ve deliberately stepped away from relying on external praise or feedback, including stepping back from active social media use years ago. One of the reasons was that I wanted to make sure that the drive behind what I create comes from within, not from a need for recognition.

I care deeply about bringing quality projects to life, but it’s never been about praise, whether from industry professionals, audiences, or even friends or family. If I give something my full effort and it doesn’t work out, still I am content. I find peace in knowing I’ve shown up fully. And that moment, that is what the best outcome was.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.doraendre.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dora-endre/
• Other: https://vimeo.com/doraendre

Image Credits
Nathan Didi / Goodwood FoS Media / Dora Endre