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Mathew Hubert Murray[a] (born June 4, 1993), credited professionally as M. H. Murray, is a Canadian filmmaker, writer, director, and producer. He first attracted attention for his work on the web series Teenagers (2014–2017), which won several accolades.[1][2] Murray's feature-length film debut, I Don't Know Who You Are, premiered in the Discovery program at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.[3]
M. H. Murray | |
|---|---|
 Murray at a 2017 screening of Teenagers | |
| Born | Mathew Hubert Murray June 4, 1993 Mississauga, Ontario, Canada |
| Education | York University |
| Occupation(s) | Filmmaker, writer, director, producer |
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Notable work | Teenagers |
| Website | mathewmurray |
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Murray was raised in the Port Credit area of Mississauga,[4] by a French Canadian mother and a Scottish Canadian father.[5] In high school, he started a YouTube channel and began creating "little slasher films" with his family and friends.[5][6] He graduated from York University's film school.[7]
While in film school, Murray began working on his first web series, titled Teenagers.[7][8] The series ran for three seasons, from 2014 to 2017, initially attracting media attention because its cast included former Degrassi stars such as Chloe Rose and Raymond Ablack.[9] Murray co-created the series with close friend Sara Tamosauskas and produced the first season alongside Emmanuel Kabongo, who also starred in all three seasons of the series.[10] The second season's premiere episode went viral,[11] amassing millions of views on YouTube.[12] Since its release, Teenagers has received positive reviews from critics and several accolades, including a Canadian Screen Award nomination and an Indie Series Award.[12][13][14][15]
Following the conclusion of Teenagers, Murray wrote and directed a short film titled Ghost.[5] The film stars Mark Clennon as Benjamin, a gay musician who is "ghosted" by his lover.[16][17] The film screened virtually at film festivals in Toronto, Seattle, Paris, and Connecticut.[18][19][17][20] In 2022, he co-directed the music video for Clennon's song "Kingston".[21]
Murray's feature-length film debut, I Don't Know Who You Are, also starring Clennon, premiered in the Discovery program at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.[22] The film has received positive reviews from critics.[23] Barry Hertz of The Globe and Mail ranked the film 7th on his list of the top 10 Canadian films of 2023.[24]
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Murray's work on Teenagers has drawn comparisons to the Degrassi franchise.[25] In a December 2016 interview with CBC's q radio show, Murray refuted Degrassi comparisons, saying that while he "respects" the show, he believes that Teenagers is "a fresh take on that experience".[1] Murray has stated that he was influenced by Issa Rae's The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, John Hughes's The Breakfast Club, and Larry Clark's Kids.[26]
Murray has cited American actor and filmmaker John Cassavetes as an influence, and "people who use their own resources and money to get their projects going when studios or other people ignore them."[6]
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| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Vancouver Web Series Festival | Best Drama Series | Teenagers | Nominated | [27] |
| Best Screenplay | Won | [27] | |||
| 2017 | International Academy of Web Television | Best Directing (Drama) | Nominated | [28] | |
| 2018 | Vancouver Web Series Festival | Best Canadian Series | Won | [2] | |
| Best Drama Series | Nominated | [2] | |||
| Best Screenplay | Nominated | [2] | |||
| 2023 | Calgary International Film Festival | $10,000 RBC Emerging Artist Award | I Don't Know Who You Are | Nominated | [29] |
| 2024 | Riviera International Film Festival | Best Film | Nominated | [30] | |
| Connecticut LGBTQ Film Festival | Rising Star Award | Won | [31] |
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