Maria Rusche is a Cuban American cinematographer who grew up outside of Boston, Massachusetts. She got her start as a gaffer and lighting technician on major feature films and television shows, where she developed her eye for lighting and the collaborative skills that are essential to a cinematographer. Her narrative work includes Emma Seligman's feature debut Shiva Baby, which premiered in competition at SXSW 2020 and TIFF 2020, as well as The Rat (Sundance 2019), and One Good Pitch (Tribeca 2016).