M. H. Murray

{{about|the Canadian filmmaker|other people with similar names|Matthew Murray (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = M. H. Murray

| image = M. h. murray at teenagers premiere.png

| caption = Murray at a 2017 screening of Teenagers

| birth_name = Mathew Hubert Murray

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1993|06|04}}

| birth_place = Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

| education = York University

| occupation = Filmmaker, writer, director, producer

| years_active = 2013–present

| notable_works = Teenagers

| website = {{URL|mathewmurray.ca}}

}}

Mathew Hubert Murray{{efn|Murray's full name is listed on his website}} (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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/radio/q/schedule-for-tuesday-december-20-2016-1.3902909/m-h-murray-doesn-t-gloss-over-the-gritty-details-of-being-a-teenager-in-his-web-series-1.3902938|title=M. H. Murray doesn't gloss over the gritty details of being a teenager in his web series {{!}} CBC Radio|last=|first=|date=December 20, 2016|work=CBC|access-date=June 25, 2018|language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Clay |first=Chris |date=May 11, 2018 |title=Mississauga-based web series 'Teenagers' earns pair of awards, racks up views |language=en-CA |work=Mississauga News |url=https://www.mississauga.com/whatson-story/8598189-mississauga-based-web-series-teenagers-earns-pair-of-awards-racks-up-views/ |access-date=June 25, 2018 |quote=}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Kay |first=Jeremy |title=TIFF premiere 'I Don't Know Who You Are' lands US deal (exclusive) |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/tiff-premiere-i-dont-know-who-you-are-lands-us-deal-exclusive/5191256.article |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=Screen |language=en}}

Early life

Murray was raised in the Port Credit area of Mississauga,{{Cite web|url=http://www.mississauga.com/whatson-story/6521190-mississauga-director-s-web-series-a-raw-take-on-teenage-life/|title=Mississauga director's web series a raw take on teenage life|last=Clay|first=Chris|date=April 29, 2016|website=Mississauga News|access-date=June 1, 2016}} by a French Canadian mother and a Scottish Canadian father.{{Cite web|date=2021-05-12|title=Filmmaker M.H. Murray Tackles Modern-Dating Anxieties in 'Ghost'|url=https://occhimagazine.com/filmmaker-m-h-murray-tackles-modern-dating-anxieties-in-ghost/|access-date=2021-05-16|website=Occhi Magazine|language=en-US}} In high school, he started a YouTube channel and began creating "little slasher films" with his family and friends. He graduated from York University's film school.{{Cite web|url=http://www.excal.on.ca/a-teenage-dream/|title=A teenage dream|last=Mitchell|first=Ashlee|date=January 30, 2014|website=Excalibur|language=en-US|access-date=July 14, 2016}}

Career

While in film school, Murray began working on his first web series, titled Teenagers.{{Cite web |last=Greene |first=Steve |date=December 13, 2016 |title=Indiewire's Project of the Day: 'teenagers' {{!}} IndieWire |url=http://www.indiewire.com/2016/12/project-of-the-day-teenagers-1201757377/ |access-date=January 16, 2017 |website=IndieWire}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Chunovic |first=Louis |date=January 15, 2014 |title=New web series Teenagers attracts Degrassi alum |url=http://playbackonline.ca/2014/01/15/new-web-series-teenagers-attracts-degrassi-alum/ |access-date=January 23, 2017 |website=Playback}} 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.{{Cite web |title=teenagers' Enters its Final Season All Grown Up {{!}} Stareable Blog |url=https://www.stareable.com//blog/teenagers-enters-its-final-season-all-grown-up |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=www.stareable.com |language=en}} The second season's premiere episode went viral,{{Citation|title=teenagers (web series) - S2, E1 - "The Difference Between Sex and Fucking"| date=July 26, 2015 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46lEpsZv5vA|language=en|access-date=2022-02-09}} amassing millions of views on YouTube.{{Cite web|url=https://nowtoronto.com/movies/dvds-downloads-and-streaming/binge-worthy-toronto-web-series/|title=Binge-worthy Toronto web series|last=Durnford|first=Samie|date=August 17, 2016|website=NOW Magazine|access-date=August 21, 2016}} Since its release, Teenagers has received positive reviews from critics and several accolades, including a Canadian Screen Award nomination and an Indie Series Award.{{Cite web|title=AS IF BEING A TEENAGER WAS EVER EASY : Teenagers Webseries {{!}} Starved Magazine|url=http://www.culturestarved.com/2014/03/as-if-being-a-teenager-was-ever-easy-teenagers-webseries/|website=www.culturestarved.com|accessdate=November 28, 2015|archive-date=July 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170702230418/http://www.culturestarved.com/2014/03/as-if-being-a-teenager-was-ever-easy-teenagers-webseries/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/arts/7-reasons-you-should-care-about-the-canadian-screen-awards-this-year-1.3410270|title=7 reasons you should care about the Canadian Screen Awards this year|last=Knegt|first=Peter|date=January 20, 2016|website=CBC Arts|access-date=April 7, 2016}}{{Cite web |date=2021-03-05 |title=Where You've Seen The Ginny And Georgia Cast Before |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/television/2563500/where-youve-seen-the-ginny-and-georgia-cast-before |access-date=2021-05-06 |website=CINEMABLEND}}

Following the conclusion of Teenagers, Murray wrote and directed a short film titled Ghost. The film stars Mark Clennon as Benjamin, a gay musician who is "ghosted" by his lover.{{Cite web|date=2021-05-30|title='Ghost'|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2212329|access-date=2021-06-05|website=CTVNews|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2021-06-08|title=Short film 'Ghost' is a character study of a gay man getting ghosted|url=https://www.etalk.ca/movies/2021/6/short-film-ghost-is-a-character-study-on-getting-ghosted.html|access-date=2021-06-09|website=etalk|language=en-US}} The film screened virtually at film festivals in Toronto, Seattle, Paris, and Connecticut.{{Cite web |last=Wilner |first=Norman |date=July 2, 2020 |title=Inside Out 2020 is happening (online) in October |url=https://nowtoronto.com/news/inside-out-2020-sets-a-date-and-announces-its-short-film-program |access-date=August 4, 2020 |website=NOW Magazine}}{{Cite web|last=Tatum|first=Erin|date=2021-05-05|title=Filmmaker M.H. Murray Examines The Anxiety of Modern Dating in New Short Film, "Ghost"|url=https://www.clichemag.com/interviews/filmmaker-m-h-murray-examines-the-anxiety-of-modern-dating-in-new-short-film-ghost/|access-date=2021-05-06|website=Cliché Magazine|language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Toronto filmmaker explores 'ghosting' and modern dating in new short film |url=https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1904723523929 |access-date=June 5, 2021 |website=CBC News}} In 2022, he co-directed the music video for Clennon's song "Kingston".{{Cite web |last=Bell |first=Kaelen |date=June 15, 2022 |title=Mark Clennon Shares New "Kingston" Video, the First Shot in Jamaica to Feature an Onscreen Romance Between Two Men {{!}} Exclaim! |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/mark_clennon_shares_new_kingston_video_the_first_shot_in_jamaica_to_feature_an_onscreen_romance_between_two_men |access-date= |website=Exclaim! |language=en-ca}}

File:M. H. Murray and Mark Clennon at TIFF.png at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival]]

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.{{Cite web |last=Hazelton |first=John |title=TIFF Discovery and Midnight Madness line-ups revealed |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/tiff-discovery-and-midnight-madness-line-ups-revealed/5184627.article |access-date=2023-09-26 |website=Screen |language=en}} The film has received positive reviews from critics.{{Cite web |title=I Don't Know Who You Are {{!}} Rotten Tomatoes |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/i_dont_know_who_you_are |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=www.rottentomatoes.com |language=en}} Barry Hertz of The Globe and Mail ranked the film 7th on his list of the top 10 Canadian films of 2023.{{Cite news |date=2023-12-26 |title=The 10 best Canadian films of 2023, a year of crises and breakthroughs |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/article-the-10-best-canadian-films-of-2023-a-year-of-crises-and-breakthroughs/ |access-date=2024-03-26 |work=The Globe and Mail |language=en-CA}}

Influences

Murray's work on Teenagers has drawn comparisons to the Degrassi franchise.{{cite web|url=http://www.shedoesthecity.com/sex-drugs-violence-torontos-provocative-web-series-teenagers-returns-for-season-two|title=Sex, drugs & violence: Toronto's provocative Web Series "Teenagers" returns for Season Two|website=www.shedoesthecity.com|date=August 10, 2015 |language=en-US|accessdate=December 1, 2015}} 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". 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.{{Cite web|url=http://talknerdywithus.com/2016/04/29/exclusive-interview-with-teenagers-creator-mathew-murray/|title=Exclusive Interview with Teenagers Creator Mathew Murray|date=April 2, 2016|website=TalkNerdyWithUs|language=en-US|access-date=June 1, 2016|archive-date=September 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923014140/http://talknerdywithus.com/2016/04/29/exclusive-interview-with-teenagers-creator-mathew-murray|url-status=dead}}

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."{{Cite web|date=2021-05-13|title=M.H. Murray Talks GHOST, What Audiences Can Glean From It and More|url=https://www.geekgirlauthority.com/m-h-murray-ghost-interview/|access-date=2021-05-16|website=Geek Girl Authority|language=en-US}}

Accolades

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Association ! Category ! Nominated work ! Result ! class="unsortable" \| Refs
rowspan="2" \|2016 \| rowspan="2" \|Vancouver Web Series Festival \|Best Drama Series \| rowspan="6" \|Teenagers \| {{Nominated}} \| style="text-align:center;" \| {{Cite web \|last=Cummins \|first=Julianna \|date=March 23, 2016 \|title=Riftworld, Sudden Master win at Vancouver Web Fest \|url=http://playbackonline.ca/2016/03/23/riftworld-sudden-master-win-at-vancouver-web-fest/ \|access-date=April 7, 2016 \|website=Playback}}
Best Screenplay \|{{Won}} \| style="text-align:center;" \|
2017 \|International Academy of Web Television \|Best Directing (Drama) \|{{Nominated}} \| style="text-align:center;" \| {{Cite web \|title=5th IAWTV Awards 2017 – IAWTV Awards \|url=https://iawtvawards.lyberspace.com/5th-iawtv-awards-2017/ \|access-date=2021-11-09 \|language=en-US}}
rowspan="3" \|2018 \| rowspan="3" \|Vancouver Web Series Festival \|Best Canadian Series \|{{Won}} \| style="text-align:center;" \|
Best Drama Series \| {{Nominated}} \| style="text-align:center;" \|
Best Screenplay \| {{Nominated}} \| style="text-align:center;" \|
2023 \|Calgary International Film Festival \|$10,000 RBC Emerging Artist Award \| rowspan="3" \|I Don't Know Who You Are \|{{Nominated}} \|style="text-align:center;" \| {{Cite web \|date=2023-08-16 \|title=Calgary International Film Festival adds new competition to 2023 \|url=https://livewirecalgary.com/2023/08/16/calgary-international-film-festival-adds-new-competition-to-2023/ \|access-date=2023-09-14 \|website=LiveWire Calgary \|language=en-US}}
rowspan="2" \|2024 \|Riviera International Film Festival \|Best Film \|{{Nominated}} \|style="text-align:center;" \| {{Cite web \|last=Verbaro \|first=Valeria \|date=2024-05-11 \|title=I Don't Know Who You Are, la recensione del film di M.H. Murray \|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.it/film/festival-e-premi/i-dont-know-who-you-are-mathew-hubert-murray-riviera-international-film-festival-2024-concorso-trama-cast-recensione/105151/ \|access-date=2024-08-16 \|website=The Hollywood Reporter Roma \|language=it-IT}}
Connecticut LGBTQ Film Festival \|Rising Star Award \|{{Won}} \|style="text-align:center;" \| {{Cite web \|last=Sharpe \|first=Josh \|title=Winners Revealed for Out Film CT's 37th Connecticut LGBTQ Film Festival \|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/connecticut/article/Winners-Revealed-for-Out-CTs-37th-Connecticut-LGBTQ-Film-Festival-20240702 \|access-date=2024-08-16 \|website=BroadwayWorld.com \|language=en}}

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Association

! Category

! Nominated work

! Result

! class="unsortable" | Refs

rowspan="2" |2016

| rowspan="2" |Vancouver Web Series Festival

|Best Drama Series

| rowspan="6" |Teenagers

| {{Nominated}}

| style="text-align:center;" | {{Cite web |last=Cummins |first=Julianna |date=March 23, 2016 |title=Riftworld, Sudden Master win at Vancouver Web Fest |url=http://playbackonline.ca/2016/03/23/riftworld-sudden-master-win-at-vancouver-web-fest/ |access-date=April 7, 2016 |website=Playback}}

Best Screenplay

|{{Won}}

| style="text-align:center;" |

2017

|International Academy of Web Television

|Best Directing (Drama)

|{{Nominated}}

| style="text-align:center;" | {{Cite web |title=5th IAWTV Awards 2017 – IAWTV Awards |url=https://iawtvawards.lyberspace.com/5th-iawtv-awards-2017/ |access-date=2021-11-09 |language=en-US}}

rowspan="3" |2018

| rowspan="3" |Vancouver Web Series Festival

|Best Canadian Series

|{{Won}}

| style="text-align:center;" |

Best Drama Series

| {{Nominated}}

| style="text-align:center;" |

Best Screenplay

| {{Nominated}}

| style="text-align:center;" |

2023

|Calgary International Film Festival

|$10,000 RBC Emerging Artist Award

| rowspan="3" |I Don't Know Who You Are

|{{Nominated}}

|style="text-align:center;" | {{Cite web |date=2023-08-16 |title=Calgary International Film Festival adds new competition to 2023 |url=https://livewirecalgary.com/2023/08/16/calgary-international-film-festival-adds-new-competition-to-2023/ |access-date=2023-09-14 |website=LiveWire Calgary |language=en-US}}

rowspan="2" |2024

|Riviera International Film Festival

|Best Film

|{{Nominated}}

|style="text-align:center;" | {{Cite web |last=Verbaro |first=Valeria |date=2024-05-11 |title=I Don't Know Who You Are, la recensione del film di M.H. Murray |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.it/film/festival-e-premi/i-dont-know-who-you-are-mathew-hubert-murray-riviera-international-film-festival-2024-concorso-trama-cast-recensione/105151/ |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=The Hollywood Reporter Roma |language=it-IT}}

Connecticut LGBTQ Film Festival

|Rising Star Award

|{{Won}}

|style="text-align:center;" | {{Cite web |last=Sharpe |first=Josh |title=Winners Revealed for Out Film CT's 37th Connecticut LGBTQ Film Festival |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/connecticut/article/Winners-Revealed-for-Out-CTs-37th-Connecticut-LGBTQ-Film-Festival-20240702 |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=BroadwayWorld.com |language=en}}