After graduating in Communication Sciences, Maura Morales Bergmann joined the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Rome in 2005, specialising in Cinematography under the guidance of masters Giuseppe Rotunno and Giuseppe Lanci. In 2007 she undertook a training placement on the sets of The Dust of Time by Theo Angelopoulos and Tutta la vita davanti by Paolo Virzì, with whom she later made the documentary L’uomo che aveva picchiato la testa. Since 2008 she has worked between Italy and Mexico, developing her experience and training as a cinematographer and camera operator across feature films, short films, documentaries, commercials and television series.
In 2014 she was Director of Photography on El Comienzo del tiempo by Bernardo Arellano, winner of the Work in Progress Award at the Los Cabos International Film Festival and recipient of funding from Foprocine of the Mexican Film Institute (IMCINE). The film received the award for Best Film at the 2015 Beijing International Film Festival from a jury composed of Luc Besson, Kim Ki-duk and Fernando Meirelles. El Comienzo del tiempo also won Best Film at the Málaga Film Festival, among other awards, and was subsequently presented at numerous international festivals, including the Manaki Brothers International Cinematographers’ Film Festival, dedicated to cinematography.
In 2015 she was Director of Photography on the Mexican production Influencia, winner of the Fidecine award and the Melbourne Independent Film Festival. The film was presented at the Oaxaca FilmFest in 2018 and at the Milano International Film Festival, among others, and was shortlisted for Best Cinematography at Action on Film in Las Vegas. In the same year she also served as second-unit Director of Photography on the Mexican production No Manches Frida.
In 2016–2017 she was Director of Photography on the feature film Blue Kids, produced by Matteo Garrone and presented in competition at the 2017 Torino Film Festival. The film was screened at several international festivals, including the Zsigmond Vilmos International Film Festival, where it received a Special Mention from the jury for Best Cinematography. During the same period she also shot several episodes of the Mexican television series Guerra de Ídolos. In 2018 she became a member of the AMC, which dedicated an article to her in issues 50 and 60 of the magazine 23.98 fps.
In 2018 she was Director of Photography on Mamma più Mamma, produced by BIBI Film and presented at the 2018 Rome Film Fest, as well as in Guadalajara and Zurich, among others. The film was also selected by Nanni Moretti for the Bimbi Belli showcase in 2019. In 2019 she returned to Italy and shot part of the Rai 1 television series Vite in fuga, directed by Luca Ribuoli. In the same year she was Director of Photography on the short film Aleksia, winner of the 2019 RIFF – Rome Independent Film Festival and screened at numerous festivals including the Social World Film Festival, Visioni Italiane, the Voghera Film Festival and the Amarcort Film Festival. She received an award for Best Cinematography.
She was Director of Photography on Tra le onde by Marco Amenta, presented at several festivals including the BIFI Festival. In 2020 she shot the television series Nudes (Rai and Bim Distribuzione), directed by Laura Luchetti. In 2021 she completed Peripheric Love by Luc Walpoth, released theatrically in 2023. In 2022 she collaborated with artists such as Elisa Giardina Papa on the installation 2U Scantu, exhibited at the Venice Biennale, the BFI in London and other festivals. She was also Director of Photography on the feature documentary Amate sponde by Egidio Eronico, premiered at the 2022 Rome Film Fest and the 2022 Torino Film Festival.
In 2024 she shot Stabat Mater, the debut feature by Nazareno Manuel Nicoletti. She also worked on part of the second unit for the television series Il mostro by Stefano Sollima, presented in 2025. In the same year she completed the fiction feature Lo scuru by Giuseppe William Lombardo. In 2026 Franco Battiato – Il lungo viaggio by Renato De Maria* was released. Also in 2026 she served as Director of Photography on La bolla delle acque matte by Anna Di Francisca, presented at the Bellaria Film Festival.
She is currently working on the documentary The Wedding Dress by Anna Senno and on the new film by Elisa Miller, produced by Pimienta Films and shot entirely in Mexico.
