Known for Acting
Jon Matthew Johnson (born October 5, 1985) is a Canadian director, screenwriter, producer and actor. He directed, co-wrote and starred in the films The Dirties (2013), Operation Avalanche(2016), BlackBerry (2023) and Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (2025); the latter film is based on his docufiction sitcom web series Nirvana the Band the Show (2007–2009) and its television adaptation Nirvanna the Band the Show (2017–2018). Johnson subsequently directed Tony, a 2026 biopic about chef Anthony Bourdain. Johnson began his career working in low-budget independent docufiction productions. First, he attracted accolades for The Dirties, which won Best Feature Narrative at the Slamdance Film Festival. He achieved critical and commercial success with the biopic BlackBerry, winning directing awards at the Canadian Screen Awards and Vancouver Film Critics Circle. He won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Performance in a Comedy Film for Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie. Johnson's work includes elements of pseudo-documentary filmmaking and improvisation, often using hidden camera techniques and location filming without permits. He has frequently played fictionalised versions of himself in both his own productions and those of other filmmakers. Description above from the Wikipedia article Matt Johnson (director), licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Born
October 5, 1985 (age 40)
Birthplace
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Filmography
59 films, 16 shows


Stavros Halkias: Uncle Stav
2026 · 1h 4m
country: United States
In this unruly set, Stavros Halkias imagines becoming a "dirtbag" uncle, roasts the health care system and warns of the risks of living your best life.
Uncle Stav: Mission Impossible Teaser
Uncle Stav: Mission Impossible Teaser
2026 · 2m
country: Unknown
Your mission if you choose to accept it: Watch Uncle Stav on Netflix Sept 8th. In the meantime you can watch this short film that alludes to some of the complex themes I cover in the special.


Tony
2026 · 1h 46m
country: United States
A 19-year-old Anthony Bourdain travels to Provincetown and stumbles into the chaotic world of a restaurant kitchen, setting off a summer that will shape the course of his life.


Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie
2026 · 1h 40m
country: Canada
When their plan to book a show at the Rivoli goes horribly wrong, Matt and Jay accidentally travel back to the year 2008.


BlackBerry
2023 · 2h
country: Canada
Two mismatched entrepreneurs – egghead innovator Mike Lazaridis and cut-throat businessman Jim Balsillie – joined forces in an endeavour that was to become a worldwide hit in little more than a decade. The story of the meteoric rise and catastrophic demise of the world's first smartphone.


Operation Avalanche
2016 · 1h 34m
country: United States
In 1967, four undercover CIA agents were sent to NASA posing as a documentary film crew. What they discovered led to one of the biggest conspiracies in American history.


Operation Avalanche
2016 · 5m
country: Canada
Achieving viral success after being snuck into the Sundance Film Festival, this short film features the powerful story of a young high school boy seeking revenge against the teacher that sexually assaulted him. Inspired by a series of real rapes.


My Mother's Pearls
2014
country: Unknown


The Dirties
2013 · 1h 23m
country: Canada
The line between reality and fiction starts to blur when two best friends start making a movie about getting revenge on bullies.


The Fantastic Corpse
2013 · 9m
country: Unknown
The Fantastic Corpse is a short film project based on the exquisite corpse collaborative method. Dell Precision and AMD are working with creative content company Arts+Labor to bring five Fantastic Fest filmmakers together to create one short film, each filming an equal part, and continuing each others segment.


Matt Johnson: Live At Comic-Con
2013 · 13m
country: Unknown
In a short, surreal and satirical sketch produced for Funny or Die, Matt Johnson plays a reporter inexperienced with pop culture who reports live at Comic-Con 2013.


Nirvana the Band the Show the Adventures
2010 · 51m
country: Unknown
Musicians Matt and Jay step away from their quest for the Rivoli to conquer various Toronto landmarks and seasonal traditions through a series of misguided, high-energy excursions and chaotic improvisations.


Nirvana the Band the Show: Live @ the Rivoli
2009 · 36m
country: Canada
Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol play live at the Rivoli to wrap up their web series in 2009.


Honolulu Blue
2004
country: Canada