DOROTTYA MATHE

A COPS AND ROBBERS STORY

documentary 

Line Producer

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DOC NYC I New York, USA

November 11 - 19, 2020

Growing up in Queens in the 70s, Corey Pegues played Cops and Robbers like all the other kids on the block but he never expected to become both. Corey Pegues, a highly decorated NYPD Deputy Inspector reveals, 3 months after retirement, that before joining the NYPD he worked the streets dealing crack cocaine for one of the most notorious drug gangs in the US, the Supreme Team. But who is the real Corey Pegues? A criminal turned hero? Or a perp in cop costume? A Vernon Films Productions - written and directed by Ilinca Calugareanu., produced by Mara Adina.

THE TONGASS LEGACY

short documentary 

Producer

The environmental documentary captures the magical wilderness of the Tongass, the largest coastal temperate rainforest in the world, using cinematic, widescreen footage of this picturesque Alaskan landscape with glaciers, red rock cliffs, skiffs, whales, sea lions, bears and wolfs.

The film is a tribute to Michael McIntosh who founded some of the largest conservation organizations in the world and established The Boat Company, the first eco-tourism cruise line dedicated to educating passengers on the Tongass forest’s ecological importance, its beauty, it’s fragility.

KEEPING OLIVIA

documentary 

Consulting Producer

One mother’s courageous journey through untangling the trauma of losing her daughter to cancer.

Olivia was a sunny little 5 year old girl who just happened to have a rare form of aggressive brain cancer. The day after finishing nine months of treatment, her father, Holger, died suddenly of cardiac arrest playing badminton. A family of five was now a family of four. Olivia, her mother Daphne, 9 year old sister Lilly and 11 year old brother Espen were in shock. In the next years Daphne and her children, doctors and friends gave all they could to help save Olivia but she passed away just after her ninth birthday. It was now a family of three. Daphne, is traumatized from years of fighting cancer, Holger's sudden death and Olivia’s slow death. These circumstances motivate her to embark on a unique journey documenting her own exploration of trauma. Daphne is constantly torn between the “trauma world” and the “normal world”, cultural clichés of how she should let go and move on feel forced. Daphne is overwhelmed by not knowing what to do with Olivia’s ashes so she gathers up over 50 of Olivia’s Barbies and starts a road trip from Las Vegas to Zion, Utah, in search of renewed hope and balance. Daphne creates an individual visceral vocabulary of processing loss. Despite confronting so much tragedy, Daphne’s approach to healing becomes more of a beautiful survival story rather than just a painful traumatic memory. The idea of letting go is turned upside down. In the darkest of times comes the brightest of lights.

WHAT A LONG, STRANGE TRIP IT'S BEEN

documentary [26'15"]

Producer/Director

What a long strange trip it’s been  is a 7-minute retrospective documentary to celebrate Tom Semmel’s vibrant and adventurous life in America coming from Klauzal ter in Hungary.

“I am here and I love it.” - a quote from Tom that shows he is full of energy, who have tasted the up’s and downs of life but stills enjoys the unpredictable challenges that New York City has to offer on a day to day basic.

Someone who always meant to be here in the United States though felt more Hungarian when he was a child growing up in New York … but now he feels more American … maybe it’s because of time or maybe it’s the Hungary of today. He still have roots and friends that tie him to his birthplace even he left it almost 60 years ago.

Tom is 70 but it’s still hard for him to take a few steps back and relax and gather his thoughts … although in the suburbs he’s been able to do just that.

PARDON US FOR LIVING ...

music documentary [63'00"] 

Co-Producer

Distributed by Amazon Prime I USA

Alamo Music Film Festival I USA

February 2010 

In-Edit Argentina International Music Documentary and Film Festival I Argentina 

December 2009

In-Edit Barcelona International Music Documentary and Film Festival I Barcelona, Spain

October 2009 

CMJ Music Marathon and Film Festival I USA

October 2009 

Don't Knock On the Rock Film Festival I USA

July 2009

Florida Film Festival I USA

April 2009

When a gang of suburban teens stumbled across a bunch of abandoned instruments and formed The Fleshtones little did they know that 30 years later they'll still be struggling to rock - and pay the bills. PARDON US FOR LIVING BUT THE GRAVEYARD IS FULL documents their formation and their subsequent struggles.

LIFELINE

documentary [21'00"]

Consulting Producer

New York, USA

December, 2011

Everyday, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender teenagers suffer from identity crisis and feel lost in communities that don't accept them.  Every 100 minutes another teenager will commit suicide in America.  Because they are often the victims of bullying, queer youth are at higher risk-- up to four times as likely as their heterosexual peers to attempt suicide. 

This film is an exploration of coming of age queer stories; it's about isolation and rejections, and pressing on to search for something better.  This is the story of LGBTQ youth who took drastic measures in their loneliness, and those who work relentlessly to make sure others aren't lost.  Because of them, help is given everyday.

GRANDMASTER OF 108

documentary [5'40"]

Producer

Distributed by Snagfilms I New York, NY

March 2007

Andy Kessler was a heroic figure and advocate for skateboarding since the early '70 when this sport was completely alien to New York City. Andy with his friends pioneered the art of city skating and created a loose-knit community calling themselves "The Soul Artists of Zoo York".
By the 80's Kessler became more involved in the skate culture and had the opportunity to become one of the greatest skateboarders but he put himself in an environment where he got caught up in drugs and eventually became homeless. His parents and friends tried numerous times to get him to kick the habit, but without avail. Andy, who used to be the epicenter of activity, struggled with severe drug and alcohol addiction for years but he was also a champion of rehabilitation.
After years of destructiveness and mischief he cleaned himself up and started to serve as a mentor dedicating his life to prevent young kids from using substances through introducing them to skateboarding. He wanted more than legitimacy for skateboarders; he wanted respect therefore in a landmark initiative, he persuaded the New York City Parks Department to build Manhattan's first public skate park in Riverside Park at 108th Street; after the park opened in 1995, Kessler was dubbed the Grandmaster of 108.
By the age of 46 Andy still remained a vital part of the skateboarding scene and continued rolling through the streets of NYC. He also attained a certain peace in his life where he could sincerely talk about his past.
Andy Kessler had been battling with hardships in most of his life, he survived things that would normally kill people therefore it is difficult to believe that he passed away at the age of 49 from cardiac arrest due to an allergic reaction to a wasp sting he sustained on Montauk, Long Island on August 10, 2009 while building a skatepark there.

The film has been distributed online by Snag Films.