Martin J. Thomas Exclusive Interview - Believe, Persist and Chase Your Vision

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Martin J. Thomas was recently interviewed by TheCelebrity.Online Magazine & here is the Q&A we had with Martin.

Martin J. Thomas As Cover Story Interview – June 2026 Magazine Edition

Martin J. Thomas

Martin “MJT” Thomas knows the sting of rejection. For more than 15 years, he faced closed doors, broken promises, and industry gatekeeping before eventually forging his own path in filmmaking. Today, he is the Festival Director of the UK Film Awards, where he champions both established names and emerging talent, while also preparing to direct a new crime-action feature film. Grounded by his private family life and shaped by past struggles, Thomas says the lesson he now shares most is simple: believe in yourself, keep going, and refuse to let negativity define your future.

How do you introduce yourself?

Most of the time I introduce myself to people as Martin. However, those who are close to me just call me MJT. MJT is my nickname.

Struggle – What hardships have you gone through in life?

I guess the biggest struggle for me has been rejection. Rejection has been a tough thing to go through. For over a decade and a half I was trying to succeed and was trying my best to get ahead, I tried to get in touch with certain ‘higher level industry people’ to help me but they made false promises and then ignored me and rejected me. That was tough! It lasted a long time which was soul destroying. These days things are very different for me and I don’t have those issues anymore. I am very grateful and thankful for that. I made my own way and forged my own networks.

What do people usually not know about you?

I have a beautiful wife and 2 beautiful children (a boy and a girl). They are both very special and unique, like all children. I tend to keep my family out of the spotlight as to me family is private, my wife feels the same way. She doesn’t like the spotlight.

What sets you apart from others?

I guess me being open and approachable to people. Because I have had doors closed on me in the past, I know what it feels like to struggle. So when I meet people who are in the position that I was in many years ago I try my best to be open and helpful to them, even if it is just to give them some solid advice on how they can get ahead. Being a filmmaker is a blessing and a gift, so I try to help others out whenever I can.

What are your upcoming major events?

I am the Festival Director for the UK FILM AWARDS which will be taking place in London in November. It is a very prestigious event that features celebrities and upcoming international talent. We award both feature films and short films. Previous names that we have awarded are people such as: Noomi Rapace (The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo), Stephen Fry (The Hobbit), Alan Cumming (X-Men) and Cara Buono (Stranger Things) to name a few.

2 projects that we awarded late last year (A Friend of Dorothy and The Pearl Comb) went on to become Oscar Nominated this year and are now available to watch on Disney Plus. Another film that we awarded (Rock, Paper, Scissors) won a Bafta last year too, so we are very happy about that. This year is set to be just as exciting as we are growing 30% each year. I am also going to Direct a new feature film project next year, a Crime Action Thriller with some great talent, so keep your eyes peeled!

We also just finished exhibiting at the Cannes Film Festival where we participated in the Marche Du Film with our booth (as UK Film Studios). Cannes has a special place in my heart.

What expert advice would you like to give?

The best advice I give people is to believe in yourself and keep going. Don’t listen to the naysayers, because they may discourage you one minute and then be the first to ask for something when you succeed. Have a vision, have a dream, and go for it. Also, remove all negative influences from your life—negativity kills dreams faster than anything else.

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