Biographie
Matt Shapira began his career in entertainment in 2001 as a talent agent at the boutique agency DSA (David Shapira & Associates), a company recognized for packaging television projects from the 1970s through the 2000s.
After more than a decade representing clients across acting, directing, writing, and specialty talent, Shapira transitioned from representation into the creative and production side of the industry.
In 2014, he raised the full private equity financing for the independent feature film God’s Not Dead. Following the success of that project, he became more deeply involved with Pure Flix Entertainment, co-producing and helping finance films including God’s Not Dead 2, Do You Believe?, and Dancer and the Dame.
Shapira soon moved into a more hands-on producing role while expanding his work in cinematography, writing, and directing. In 2017, he produced the horror feature Behind the Walls, followed by Disappearance, which he produced, wrote, and directed. During this period, he also launched his production company, Roaming Elephant Productions
In 2018, Shapira produced and directed the independent feature Big Muddy, shot in Missouri, and later produced The Swing of Things, filmed on location in Jamaica and acquired internationally by Lionsgate.
While completing The Swing of Things, Shapira was brought onto another independent feature, The Reason, which had encountered significant post-production challenges. Serving as lead producer, he helped creatively restructure and re-cut the film, ultimately securing distribution through Universal Pictures.
Building on those early successes, Shapira continued collaborating with Pure Flix Entertainment in a larger creative capacity, producing, writing, and directing multiple films over the following years. His credits include Finding Love in Quarantine, Love on the Rock (shot in Malta), Nothing Is Impossible (producer/director), and A Line of Fire, which was acquired by Sony Pictures for worldwide distribution and reached the Top 5 on Netflix in the United States in December 2025.
As his career evolved, Shapira began developing and financing his own slate of feature films. In 2025, he produced and co-wrote Above the Break, a shark thriller set in a fictional coastal town. He raised the full budget for the film and worked closely with a director he had previously mentored throughout production and post.
Following that project, Shapira joined the development of Impact, a biographical drama based on the true story of the man who discovered the impact crater linked to the extinction of the dinosaurs. At the same time, he developed two additional projects: the comedy Spring Break Overs, scheduled for production in Florida, and the treasure-hunt adventure film currently titled Shipwreck Island.
Beyond his primary producing work, Shapira has also contributed financing, development support, and production resources to projects including Running on Empty, County Rescue Seasons 2 and 3, Malibu Dan, and Part-Time Fabulous.
With nearly three decades of industry experience and a background deeply rooted in Hollywood film and television, Shapira has built a reputation for developing commercially viable projects while balancing creative authenticity with strategic production management. His focus remains on producing elevated commercial cinema that connects with audiences while maintaining strong asset value and market potential.
As he continues expanding his slate and production partnerships, Shapira aims to produce multiple feature films annually while growing as both a creative filmmaker and producer within the evolving entertainment landscape.
