Born to German parents living in Singapore, Matthias Hoene was brought up in a multicultural environment, where he learned four languages and explored both rural and urban jungles. After his family relocated to West Berlin, Matthias suddenly found himself in a new home nestled in the shadows of the Berlin Wall. He grew up under the watchful eyes of East German border guards, and was there, pickaxe in hand, when the Wall came down in 1989.
After graduating at the top of his class, Matthias spent a year doing social service in the neurological ward of the Berlin Charite hospital. During this formative year, he gained valuable insight into the human psyche, which continues to influence his work today. Keen to see more of the world, Matthias then moved to London to study at the famous Central St. Martins College, where he specialized in graphic design and filmmaking. It was there that he picked up his first film camera and discovered a medium that melded his passion for drawing, photography and storytelling. His first short film, Rhapsodia in Fish Minor, won the 2000 JVC Film Festival in Tokyo. His second short, Love Me Tender, went on to win the East London Film Festival.
He joined Partizan in 2001, and shortly thereafter, won the Gold Lion at Cannes for his very first commercial, Club 18- 30’s “Doggy Style” for Saatchi & Saatchi. Featuring the exploits of a frisky mutt who learns from the adult holidaymakers, the spot showcased Matthias’ preference for risqué and groundbreaking material. Since then, Matthias has become one of Europe’s most sought after commercial directors. He’s created visionary campaigns for brands like Toyota and Sony, helmed 2 Superbowl spots, and is known in the commercial community as a world creator and VFX guru. In 2018, he collaborated with Adidas and Parley to create a powerful docu short called “Dive,” which debuted at SXSW and at World Oceans Day in the noble effort to promote ocean conservation.
On the narrative side, Matthias made his feature directing debut with StudioCanal’s COCKNEYS VS. ZOMBIES, a horror/comedy starring Harry Treadaway, Georgia King, Alan Ford and an army of undead Brits. The film premiered at London’s FrightFest, won the San Sebastian Film Festival and has become a British cult classic. He then helmed ENTER THE WARRIORS GATE, a kung-fu, coming-of-age adventure written by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen for EuropaCorp and Fundamental.
Matthias is currently slated to direct the car chase thriller, ACCELERATOR, for Riverstone and Newscope Films. He is also developing CAPSULE, a Black List featured sci-fi actioner he conceived with writer Ian Shorr, and THE BERLINER(S), a brilliant heist film with Studio Hamburg. For television, Matthias is set to direct and executive produce THE KISS THAT KILLED, an original series with Federation and Same Player based on a book by Phantom Of The Opera writer Gaston Leroux.
He currently resides in both London and LA, where he continues to focus on epic, fun and visually progressive storytelling.