Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. is a Dutch director known for his work in film and advertising. The son of a renowned producer, he began his career directing commercials for major brands like Toyota and Pepsi.

Since 1999, Matthijs van Heijningen has been one of the most acclaimed and decorated commercial directors in Europe, doing work for clients like Centraal Beheer, Delta Lloyd, Lipton, Heineken, Orange, Peugeot, Stella Artois, Toyota, and Versatel, for which he’s garnered Clios, Addys, Cannes Lions, and countless festival awards.

In a move to bring his dry, absurdist world-view to the American audience, Matthijs van Heijningen joined MJZ, in 2003. Since then, he has earned a reputation as a generous and imaginative collaborator, who works closely with an agency throughout the development process to plumb the depths of every concept for humor, humanity, and truth. If there’s an unexpected quirk to be mined from a character or a more visually arresting way to film a scene, Matthijs will find it, and that talent that’s not gone unrecognized.

Whether chronicling a diva director, shooting a horror film, or evaporating vampires, van Heijningen’s process is all about having fun. From the short films he made back in law school to some of the most ambitious and high-profile projects in global advertising and feature filmmaking, his chemistry of ironic comedy, solid narrative, and a beautiful cinematic aesthetic sets his work apart.