Matthew Kalil

Originally from South Africa, he earned his MA in Screenwriting from the Northern Film School in Leeds (United Kingdom), and he has been teaching and mentoring students for over 20 years. Matthew has lectured at institutions worldwide, such as the University of Cape Town, AFDA Film School, NYU Tisch School of The Arts, and York University in the UK. During this time, he developed a unique system that helps screenwriters get in touch with their creative core, as described in his book, The Three Wells of Screenwriting, published in 2018 by Michael Wiese productions, with a foreword by Christopher Vogler.

Matthew has written and co-written numerous screenplays and over 40 produced episodes of television. He has directed 17 short films and two documentaries: Fight Night, which was screened worldwide; and Porselynnkas, which challenged notions of narration. His TV directing work can be seen in the fictional crime series Interrogation Room and the reality series The Ride: Season 3. His productions and collaborations have been screened and broadcast in Canada, Denmark, Morocco, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Kenya, South Africa, Thailand, the United States and the United Kingdom. He is also the author of the children’s books Helga’s Big Splash and Grandpa Farouk’s Garden.

Matthew has appeared on multiple panels on screenwriting and creativity and has presented at the annual University Film and Video Association in Minneapolis, the London Screenwriting Festival and the Cape Town International Animation Festival.

Education

• Master's Degree Northern Film School, Leeds (1998 — 2000)

Companies

• Assistant Professor David Lynch Masters in Film Program (2020)
• University Lecturer University of Cape Town (2001 — 2017)
• Screenwriter Penguin Films (Pty) LTD (2002 — 2017)
• Lecturer AFDA (2003 — 2004)
• Guest Lecturer New York University Tisch School of the Arts (2003 — 2003)