Matěj Balcar (*30 April 1991, Prague) is a Czech director, playwright, screenwriter, producer, creative, and occasional actor.

He is a graduate of directing, screenwriting, and dramaturgy at the Film Academy of Miroslav Ondříček in Písek. During his studies, he directed several short films that were awarded at festivals both in the Czech Republic and abroad. Particularly notable is his graduation film The Form of Love (Podoba lásky), which was nominated in 2014 for the Magnesia Czech Lion 2013 award for Best Student Film. Since 2016, he has been a co-owner of the film and advertising production company Demopictures. For the charitable campaign Lunches for Children (Obědy pro děti), he received a Gold Medal at the EFFIE Awards Czech Republic 2015.

He has written, directed, and co-produced two feature films: the comedy Gentleman’s Club (Pánský klub, 2022) and the psychological thriller Call (2026).

Beyond film, he is also active in theatre, where he has gained attention primarily for his original plays produced at Divadlo Na Jezerce, combining humour, distinctive poetics, and contemporary themes. Among his most notable works are Gentlemen’s Club, First class citizen(Občan první jakosti) — nominated for the Theatre Critics’ Award for Best New Czech Play of 2022 and plays also in USA, Much Ado About a Like (Mnoho povyku pro lajk), as well as his acclaimed stage adaptations of the film Perfect Strangers (Naprostí cizinci) and the novel Look Who’s Back (Už je tady zas). In addition to the Nusle-based theatre, he has also worked at Prague’s Rockcafé, Hybernia Theatre, and Karlín Musical Theatre, where he directed the musical Alice in Wonderland. In 2026, he is set to collaborate with Divadlo Metro and Divadlo Bez Zábradlí.

In collaboration with his grandmother, academic painter Miroslava Jakešová, Matěj Balcar published his first children’s book, How It (Didn’t) Happen with Prague Ghosts (Jak to ne/bylo s pražskými strašidly, 2025), with KAVKA publishing house. He has also begun appearing more regularly in front of the camera.

Matěj is married to actress Kristýna Hrušínská, with whom he has two sons, Vojtěch (*2017) and Jakub (*2022).