Maria Rusche is Cuban-American and grew up outside of Boston. They got their start as a gaffer and lighting technician on major feature films and television shows where they developed their eye for lighting and the collaborative skills that are essential to a cinematographer. They are known for their work on Emma Seligman’s feature debut Shiva Baby (SXSW 2020 & TIFF 2020) and Emma’s second film Bottoms, which was produced by MGM Orion and headlined SXSW 2023 before it was released theatrically. Maria also shot Seasons 2 & 3 of the hit Showtime series Couples Therapy. In 2018, Maria was invited to teach Cinematography at NYU Tisch School of the Arts where they were an adjunct professor until 2021. They are based in Brooklyn.