Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Maria Magierowska. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Maria, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Without a doubt the most meaningful project I was lucky to be a part of is a shot film called “Summer Wedding”. It’s a short script I wrote while in grad school. It was for our first year projects. It tells the story of Stefania, 30, a Polish-American girl, who tries to find out whether she’s pregnant or not at a family gathering, where there isn’t a lot of space to deal with your own emotions. The film happens to be telling a story of a Polish-American family. I’m Polish, and living in America, and I wanted to combine the two experiences into a meaningful story.
At the time of the assigment, I have already written the two short scripts we were requied to submit, but something told me I have something else to say. Both of my other projects were quite jolly and wholesome, and my writing usually leans towards more serious topics and experiences.
The story kind of just flew out of me. I didn’t sit with it long, it took me maybe three hours to get it out, because it was also something that sat in me for a long enough time, that once it came to the surfce, it was ready to just be written down.
This story deals with rape, catholicism, and a mother-daughter relationship from hell. you can probably see where I’m going with this.
At 21 I was sexually assaulted by a friend, which was quite unexpected, and it turned my wolrd upside down. I call myself lucky for not getting raped, and that at least I don’t remember half of what happened, but I also… don’t remember half of what happened.
Writing a script about sexual abuse in a Polish-American setting helped me deal with it in ways I didn’t realize I needed. While working on this script, I suddenly started learning about my friend’s abuse stories, and how much we have in common, and how about 96% of incidents of sexual harrasment will never be reported.
This short was a way of healing, and helping people understand that what happened is not their fault.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Maria, I’m from Poland, where I’ve obtained my bachelor degree in Film and TV Production from Warsaw Film School in 2022. In 2025 I graduated with a Master’s Degree in Screenwiritng from Chapman University, and as of December 2025, I work at one of the biggest talent agencies in the US.

But as much as I enjoy it, I do not want to be an agent. I have a different goal in mind.

Something that would always bring me joy was watching films and writing about them. There was a time where I thought I would be a film critic, writing opinions about other people’s life work. That didn’t sit quite well with me. I wanted people to be able to form their own opinions, based on the things they enjoy or dislike. I didn’t want to tell them how to feel about something – I just wanted to make them feel it. That’s when I discovered filmmaking.

I was always a very artistically inclined person – painting, writing, playing piano. There was even a time where I considered becoming a storyboard artist, and took drawing classes for two years. All fo that to then study at Warsaw FIlm School, where I spend some transformative, but delifitely turbulent years fo my life.

That’s where I stared my colaborations with international students, who were in need of a producer who’s english was good enough to get them through a short film production, and in one piece. I dreamed of bringing the genre of road films to Poland, where they are rarely made, and decided to apply for grad school in the US. Not thinking much about it, I looked for more opportunities to work on film sets in Poland.

Soon after that I joned the crew of “Green Border” – an award winning film from 2023 directed by Agnieszka Holland. It was the hardest, but at the same time, the greatest experience I’ve had on a film set. The people I met and professional relaionships I’ve created, are still some of my favorite ones I got to experience.

The email about getting into Chapman University cam two days into working on that set. It took me a second to decide whether I want to move across the world and start a new life with a new career in sight – screenwriting, or if I want to stay home and nurture the relaitonships I was forming on that set. But staying in Poland meant I would be working in production department, and as much as I love and am good at it – I couldn’t see myself doing it without having a chance to write what I wanted to watch.

I would describe my writing as observational – I like character driven stories that every other John can relate to, as well as complicated and compelling personalities put in the most growth-stimulating environments. My biggest dream in life is to have someone feel a little less alone, and a little bit more understood. This is what the film industry is for me – a way to connect with people we wouldn’t even dream of reaching otherwise. But movies are magic.

When I work, I do it with intention. I will always make sure the work we do is meaningful and in service of something bigger. I understand this industry quite well, and I agree to be a part of it, even when it’s a little nasty, and a little scary, and a lot discriminating. I want to be a part of it, because I believe we make it better by trying to get our stories heard. I’m a jack of all trades, and I very much live up to the other, less known part of that saying: “Jack of all trades, master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” I wouldn’t say I’m great at anything, but I’m really really good at a lot of things. If someone asks me to do something, I will try to do it in any way possible, for as long as possible.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is being surrounded by the most amazing and tender souls. How lucky am I to be in the presence of people who care?
The best example I can give you is this: while in grad school, I met a lot 0f people from all over the world – India, China, Taiwan, Poland ( ;) ),Mexico, Iran. We were all drawn to the same thing – stories. Films. Getting people together, no matter their background, language, religion. A good story will defend itself without needed to bring something else down. We all came together to create and be creative, and nothing is better to do that, than surround yourself with other creative souls. The space we created for ourselves to feel, see, and be seen will be something I will forever try to vreate for other people as well.

My ideas are good. The people I work with, that’s what makes them great. Without my collaborators like Rhea or Tim, our short film would not get into festivals, wouldn’t provoke conversation, I woudn’t end up working on a feature script based on that 10 minute story we shot in school. I wouldn’t meet my closest friends, and I wouldn’t get to experience their softness and persistence from up-close. And what a lose it would be, not to be able to be in their corner.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I think my biggest wake up call was getting a 9-5, and not being able to write as much as I would like to. I’m happy for people who can afford staying home for months and just write. That is both impressive and incredibly privileged. Most of us have to get a job outside the industry, or outside their department of interest, just to make ends meet.
Working 9 hours a day, with a two-hour drive both ways, where you have to eat, hopefully work out, and maybe have a social life with your friends – the discipline to find an hour a day to sit down and write anything – it takes a lot of work, and it doesn’t always happen. When it does, though – what a thrill.

I work at a company where people read scripts for a living and decide who will make it and who won’t – and I realize this is a huge privilege, being around those people, making them recognize me, and know me. But God as my witness, if I don’t make the time to write something, it won’t be worth anything.

So you have to write.

No one should ever get this twisted – being a filmmaker and pursing this career – it’s brave. You are betitng everything on people sharing the same sense of humor or sensitivity as you. You can write and write and write and never get anywhere, simply because you didn’t run into the right people.
This is only worth it, if you can’t live without it.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariamagierowska/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariamagierowska