Martijn Payens grew up in Olst, The Netherlands. In 2006 he moved to Brussels to start studying at the RITS in Brussels where he graduated in 2010 (Master Audiovisual Arts, Directing Documentary). In the second year of his course, his short documentary "For Each Other" was nominated for NOFF, an online side competition of the Dutch Film Festival. His master project, the in Albania filmed "Mushrooms of Concrete" (Kerpudhe Betoni) was selected for the student competition of the IDFA 2010, for the Ghent International Film Festival 2010 and the International Film Festival Tirana in Albania. After graduating, he started the production company Mp² and is also a freelance filmmaker.
Belgie