M. H. Murray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
M. H. Murray
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Murray at a 2017 screening of Teenagers
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| Born |
Mathew Hubert Murray
June 4, 1993 Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
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| Education | York University |
| Occupation | Filmmaker, writer, director, producer |
| Years active | 2013–present |
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Notable work
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Teenagers |
Mathew Hubert Murray (born June 4, 1993), also known as M. H. Murray, is a Canadian filmmaker. He writes, directs, and produces movies and shows. He first became well-known for his work on the web series Teenagers (2014–2017). This show won many awards. Murray's first full-length movie, I Don't Know Who You Are, was shown at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.
Early Life and Education
Mathew Murray grew up in Port Credit, a part of Mississauga, Canada. His mom is French Canadian and his dad is Scottish Canadian.
When he was in high school, Murray started a YouTube channel. He made short "slasher movies" with his family and friends. Later, he went to York University's film school to study filmmaking.
Career Highlights
While still in film school, Murray began working on his first web series, Teenagers. A web series is like a TV show, but it's made for the internet. The show ran for three seasons, from 2014 to 2017. It got attention because it featured actors from the popular show Degrassi, like Chloe Rose and Raymond Ablack.
Murray created Teenagers with his friend Sara Tamosauskas. He also produced the first season with Emmanuel Kabongo, who acted in all three seasons. The first episode of the second season became very popular. It was seen millions of times on YouTube. Teenagers received good reviews and won several awards, including a nomination for a Canadian Screen Award.
After Teenagers finished, Murray wrote and directed a short film called Ghost. This film stars Mark Clennon as a musician who is "ghosted" by someone he likes. "Ghosting" means someone suddenly stops talking to you without explanation. The film was shown online at film festivals in different cities like Toronto and Paris. In 2022, Murray also helped direct a music video for Mark Clennon's song "Kingston".
Murray's first full-length movie is called I Don't Know Who You Are. It also stars Mark Clennon. The movie was first shown at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. Critics have given the film good reviews. One film critic, Barry Hertz, even put it on his list of the top 10 Canadian films of 2023.
What Inspires Him
Some people have compared Murray's show Teenagers to the Degrassi TV shows. However, Murray said that while he respects Degrassi, he thinks Teenagers offers a new look at teenage experiences.
Murray has shared that he was inspired by other filmmakers and shows. These include Issa Rae's The Misadventures of Awward Black Girl, John Hughes's movie The Breakfast Club, and Larry Clark's film Kids.
He also looks up to filmmakers like John Cassavetes. Murray admires people who use their own money and ideas to make projects happen when bigger studios might not support them.
Awards and Recognition
M. H. Murray's work has earned him several awards and nominations. His web series Teenagers won "Best Screenplay" at the Vancouver Web Series Festival in 2016. It also won "Best Canadian Series" at the same festival in 2018. His movie I Don't Know Who You Are was nominated for the RBC Emerging Artist Award at the Calgary International Film Festival in 2023. In 2024, he won the "Rising Star Award" at the Connecticut LGBTQ Film Festival for the same film.
