ABOUT MO
Mo Scarpelli is an Italian-American director and cinematographer of mostly-non-fiction cinema. Her films have centered on the rupture of identity by rapidly changing landscapes, and the use of myth and destiny to survive.
Mo's films have been exhibited at the Berlinale, IDFA, Visions du Réel, Film Society at Lincoln Center, SXSW, the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London, among other festivals and venues. As a writer her works have screened at Sundance.
Mo is in post-production on her film FAITH, which was selected for and participated in the Visions du Réel Pitch, MECAS Films to Be Made, and has received the MountainFilm Commitment Grant. The film will premiere in 2026.
Mo is in development on her debut fiction feature, A SONG THAT SLAYS, which will be filmed in early 2026. The film has been selected for the Berlinale Talents Script Station, Locarno Alliance for Development Forum, When East Meets West CoProduction Forum (where it won the European Women's Audiovisual Award), LIM - Less is More Development Workshop, Thessaloniki Agora Film Meetings, and Novos Cinema #LAB Galicia. The film is being produced by dispàrte and coproduced by Mo's company Rake Films.
Mo's feature-length film EL FATHER PLAYS HIMSELF received the Jury's Special Mention for Best International Film at the 51° Visions du Réel, screened at over 50 other festivals where it won various direction and cinematography awards, and was shortlisted for the British Independent Film Awards. The film was released in cinemas in Europe and Latin America with support of the Torino Film Lab Audience Design Award, and released online in North America by Grasshopper Film.
Mo’s debut solo-directed film ANBESSA premiered at the 69° Berlinale, where it was nominated for the Crystal Bear and the Glashütte Documentary Prize. The film screened at over 50 festivals where it won over a dozen awards, was broadcast on ARTE in France and ZDF in Germany, and was released online with MUBI in 2020.
Mo's first documentary FRAME BY FRAME screened at SXSW Film Festival, Hot Docs, BFI London Film Festival, AFI DOCS and 120+ other festivals. The film won more than 15 jury and audience awards and a Cinema Eye Honors nomination. It was acquired by TIME, Inc. in 2016.
Mo has served as screenwriter on her own films as well as on the short film PASTA NEGRA (Sundance 2025), directed by Jorge Thielen Armand. She is currently writing the feature film POEM OF A PHANTOM, also with Jorge Thielen Armand.
Mo is twice a selection of Berlinale Talents, a two-time recipient of Catapult Film Fund support, and has received fellowships from the New America Foundation, CEC Artslink, the International Women in Media Foundation, the La Faena Films Cali Residency, and the Cortona Visual Narratives Scholarship, for which she made the video installation I SOGNI DI ROMA about the dreams of Romans during the first lockdown days of COVID-19.
Mo's short films include ROMA CITTÀ CHIUSA (The New Yorker 2020), EL HARA (NY Jewish Film Festival at Film Society at Lincoln Center 2017) and SURVIVING KENSINGTON (Vimeo Staff Pick 2016). Her cinematography, photography and writing have been published with outlets such as The New York Times, The New Yorker, and the BBC, among others. Mo has served as cinematographer for documentary filmmakers such as Kimberly Reed, Jennifer Steinman-Sternin, David Garrett Byars, AJ Schnack, Gwen van de Pas, Margaux Fitoussi, Emily Kassie and Julian Brave NoiseCat, among others.
Mo founded Rake Films in New York in 2012. The company produces and co-produces her films, as well as a select number of films by emerging authors. Rake Films has also produced over 100 short films and videos for international non-profits and brands. Before Rake, Mo directed and produced media for three years with the non-profit organization charity: water. Before that, she produced multimedia and reported for The Wall Street Journal.
Mo holds a Bachelor's in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She also holds a minor degree in business, though she learned more about that from working with her family's radio station since she was a kid.
Mo is commissioned as a director or cinematographer independently, and through Good Story Films.
CV
FILMOGRAPHY
DIRECTOR + WRITER
A SONG THAT SLAYS - Italy / Kenya - 85 minutes - in development
DIRECTOR + DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
FAITH - Kenya / USA - 100 min - in post production
MISERABLE DISTANCES - USA - 70 min - in production
WHO IS THE WIND? - USA / Kenya / Albania - 30 min - in development
ARCHEOLOGY OF THE APOCALYPSE - USA / Mexico - 90 min - in development
EL FATHER PLAYS HIMSELF - Venezuela / United Kingdom / Italy - 105 minutes - 2020
I SOGNI DI ROMA - Italy - 5-part audiovisual installation - 2020
ANBESSA - Ethiopia / Italy / USA - 86 minutes - 2019
EL HARA - Tunisia / France / USA - 16 minutes - 2018
FRAME BY FRAME - Afghanistan / USA - 86 minutes - 2015
SURVIVING KENSINGTON - USA - 16 minutes - 2014
CINEMATOGRAPHY
SUGARCANE (additional cinematography, Rome) - dir Emily Kassie & Julian Brave NoiseCat - USA - documentary feature - 2023
GROOMED - dir by Gwen van de Pas - Netherlands / USA - documentary feature - 2021
GRAMMA & GINGA - dir by Jennifer Steinman Sternin - USA - documentary short - 2021
THE LAST CRUISE (additional cinematography, Italy) - dir by Hannah Olson - USA - documentary mid-length - 2020
FLAVIO-SHIRÓ - dir by Margaux Fitoussi & Adam Tanaka - Brazil / France - 21 min - 2019
Summer's Evening - dir by Eva Ellingsworth - Netherlands / USA - music video - 4 min - 2017
MEET A FIGHTER WITHOUT GLOVES - dir by Zack Canepari - USA - 9 min - 2017
SPEAKING IS DIFFICULT - dir by AJ Schnack - USA - 12 min - 2016
SHOPPER - dir by Zack Canepari - USA - 7 min - 2016
MAi: Life is Not Honey - dir by Gelila Bekele - Ethiopia, USA - 22 min - 2015
WRITER
PASTA NEGRA - dir by Jorge Thielen Armand - Canada / Colombia / Venezuela - 2025
POEM OF A PHANTOM - dir by Jorge Thielen Armand - Canada / Italy / Venezuela - in development
CREATIVE CONSULTATION
NATALIA - dir by Elizabeth Mirzaei, USA, 2023
THREE SONGS FOR BENAZIR - dir by Elizabeth Mirzaei & Gulistan Mirzaei, USA/Afghanistan, 2021 - Oscars Nomination for Short Documentary Film
WHAT'S NEXT? - dir by Taylor Taglianetti & Austin Tucker, USA, 2023
NO MAN'S LAND - dir by David Garrett Byars, USA, 2017
AWARDS / NOMINATIONS
for EL FATHER PLAYS HIMSELF
Special Mention for Best International Film - 51° Visions du Réel
Silver Biznaga Prize for Best Direction - 24° Málaga Film Festival
Best Direction, Grand Jury Prize for Best Intl Feature - Festival de la Crítica Cinematográfica de Caracas
Best Cinematography Prize, Best Camera Prize - 17° Festival de Cine Venezolano
Best Documentary on Art - 37° Festival de Cine de Bogotá
Best Direction Prize & Best Actor/Character Prize - Garden Route Intl Film Festival, South Africa
Special Mention for Perso Award - Perso Perugia Film Festival, Italy
Special Mention for Best Feature Film - 22° Lucania Film Festival, Italy
Opening Night Film - Cucalorus Film Festival, USA
Torino Film Lab Audience Design Award, 2020
Doc Alliance Award nomination, 2020
— among other festivals and venues, see all here >
for ANBESSA
Glashütte Documentary Prize nomination - 69° Berlinale International Film Festival
Crystal Bear nomination (Generations K+ Competition) - 69° Berlinale International Film Festival
ECFA Award for Best Documentary
El Mirador Prize for Best International Film - MiradasDoc
Best Director Prize, Runner-Up for Best Documentary Feature - MountainFilm Telluride
Special Mention for Best Documentary Feature - 40° Durban International Film Festival
Best Cinematography Award - Sola Luna Documentary Festival
Best Cinematography Award - Social Impact Media Awards 2019
Fabrique du Cinéma Award nomination 2020
Special Mention for Best Film - Afrikaldia Film Festival, Spain
Special Mention for Best Documentary - RiverRun Intl Film Festival, USA
Opening Night Film - 60° Festival Internacional de Cine de Cartagena de Indias (FICCI)
Opening Night film - Addis International Film Festival
Opening Night Film - Ethiopia Film Week, London
— among additional festivals and venues, see more here >
for FRAME BY FRAME
Grearson Documentary Prize nomination - BFI London Film Festival
Spotlight Award nomination - Cinema Eye Honors
Best Documentary Film Prize - Festival de Cine y Derechos Humanos de Barcelona
Lena Sharpe Persistence of Vision Award - Seattle International Film Festival
Reel Women Direct Prize - Cleveland International Film Festival
Audience Choice Award - Movies That Matter Film Festival (Netherlands)
Best Documentary Feature - Camden International Film Festival (US)
Special Jury Prize for Best Documentary Feature - Santa Fe Independent Film Festival
Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary - New Hampshire Film Festival
Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary Feature - Nashville Film Festival
Silver Heart Award - Dallas International Film Festival
Audience Award for Best Documentary - Ashland Independent Film Festival (US)
Spirit Award, Audience Award for Best Documentary - Brooklyn Film Festival
Special Jury Prize for Best Documentary Feature - Sidewalk Film Festival (US)
Best Documentary Feature - Port Townsend Film Festival (US)
Best Feature Documentary - Caymen Film Festival
Best Documentary Feature, Best Directorial Debut - Washington West Film Festival (US)
Best Documentary Jury Prize - San Francisco Independent Film Festival
Audience Choice Award - Moab International Film Festival (US)
Best Feature Documentary - Weyauwega Intl Film Festival (US)
— among additional festivals and venues, see more here >
RESIDENCIES / FELLOWSHIPS / GRANTS
2024. La Faena Cali Residency - Colombia
2023. MountainFilm Commitment Grant - USA
2021. CEC Artslink Back Apartment Residency - St. Petersburg, Russia
2020. Torino Film Lab Audience Design Grant - Italy
2020. Cortona on the Move Visual Narratives Scholarship - Italy
2017-2018. New America Foundation National Fellowship - USA
2017-2018. International Women’s Media Foundation Fellowship
2018. Catapult Film Fund Momentum Grant - USA
2016. Catapult Film Fund Development Grant - USA
2014. Speranza Female Filmmaker Award, USA
2014. Port Townsend Film Fellowship - USA
2013. Puffin Foundation Grant - USA
2013. Awesome Foundation Fund - USA
PARTICIPATION IN TALKS / WORKSHOPS / JURIES
2025. Festival de Cine Venezolano - Masterclass on Documentary Filmmaking
2024. FIPADOC - International Documentary Features Jury
2024. DCTV, New York - Masterclasses on Festival Strategy
2023. City University of NY (CUNY) - Talk on directing EL HARA
2022. College Photographer of the YEar Award - Multimedia Section Jury
2022. Murray Center for Documentary, University of Missouri-Colombia - Documentary Masterclass
2022. Master International Film Festival, Tunisia - Documentary Screenwriting Masterclass
2021. Festival Intl de Cine y Memoria Común de Nador, Morocco - International Documentary Features Jury
2021. Centro Sperimentali Di Foto - Rome, Italy - Documentary Cinematography Masterclass
2021. Faito Documentary Film Festival, Italy - Documentary Now! talk on documentary direction
2021. Golden Linden Film Festival, Armenia - International Feature Films Jury
2020. IDFA Industry Talk on making EL FATHER PLAYS HIMSELF
2020. Doc NYC Pro+ Days, New York - Cinematography Masterclass
2017. Murray Center for Documentary, University of Missouri-Colombia - Documentary Masterclass
2016. Arte Cinema Film Festival, Napoli - case study on directing FRAME BY FRAME
2016. University of California-Berkley, USA - Documentary Masterclass
2016. Pacific Northwest College of Art - Documentary Cinematography Masterclass
2015. MountainFilm Telluride Film Festival - Documentary Production Panel
2015. Randolph College, USA - Documentary Masterclass
2015. AFI DOCS, USA - Documentary Direction Panel
2014. MCON Millennial Impact Conference - Session Speaker
EDUCATION
2023. Tandem Spanish Intensive - Spain
2022. Berlinale Talents Script Station - Germany
2022. Director's Lab - Lithuania
2022. Thessaloniki Agora Market Pitch Training - Greece
2021. Dilit Institute Italian Language Intensive - Italy
2021. Less is More Film Development Workshop - France/Europe
2020. Torino Film Lab Audience Design Workshop - Italy
2020. Novos Cinema #LAB film development workshop - Spain
2018. Berlinale Talents - Germany
2017. True/False Film Festival + Catapult Rough Cut Retreat - USA
2017. IDFAcademy Summer School - Netherlands
2012. Kalish Photography Workshop - USA
2009. University of Missouri-Columbia - Bachelor’s of Journalism, Minor in Business - USA
PRESS
' Málaga Doc Winner Mo Scarpelli Jumps into Fiction with Dispàrte on 'A Song That Slays'" - Variety
'There is no film safe from some version of exploitation' - Mo Scarpelli on El Father Plays Himself'- Filmmaker Magazine
'El Father Plays Himself' is a tantalizing house of mirrors... - The Hollywood Reporter
'El Father Plays Himself' examines the dynamic between father and son - Sight & Sound
'El Father Plays Himself' - a rich meta-documentary - Little White Lies
'El Father Plays Himself' Trailer & Interview with the Director- Variety
Truth versus progress: Mo Scarpelli on Anbessa, her creative portrait of a creative Ethiopian - Sight & Sound
Fiction & Reality Clash for 'El Father' - interview with the director - Sounds & Colours
'El Father Plays Himself' ... 'exquisite' - Toist
The Making of Father and Son - Dispatch Feminist Magazine
Mo Scarpelli: 'We film dreams in the way of documentary'- Página12
'El Father Plays Himself' sincerely one of the best films of 2020 - CritereonCast
'El Father' is a fantastic effortless stand-alone making of movie - de Volkskrant
Ficción y realidad se mezclan en la venezolana 'El Father Plays Himself'- EscribiendoCine
'El Father' a fascinating documentary - Trouw NL
'El Father' is shocking and moving - Filmkrant
'El Father Plays Himself,' c'eravamo tanto filmati. Intervista a Mo Scarpelli: io, tra padre e figlio - Infoogi Italy
Anbessa: heart-rending tale of a boy living on the edge - The Guardian
‘Anbessa’ is a Beautiful Work of Sensory Ethnography - The Film Stage
Fairytales from the In-Between - Dispatch Feminist Magazine
Ethiopian life through the eyes of a precocious and imaginative boy in ‘Anbessa’ - Little Village
El Father Plays Himself: A Raw & Vulnerable Documentary Not to be Missed - Film Inquiry
DOC NYC Directors: Meet Mo Scarpelli, Anbessa - Women & Hollywood
Anbessa: visions of the past and future - Página12
'Anbessa' : gorgeous, visually arresting - Film Threat
'El Father' is a sort of electrocardiogram of the relationship between life and fiction - Duels.it
'Anbessa' : Hope and despair intermingle in a profoundly cinematic mix - Hammer to Nail
New film takes look at urban development in Ethiopia - CGTN Africa
Berlinale 2019: ‘Anbessa’ Critiques a Country through the Eyes of a Child - Goombastomp
The 50 Most Anticipated American Films of 2019 - Filmmaker Magazine
'Frame by Frame' : exquisite, emotionally searing - The Hollywood Reporter
'Frame by Frame' : sharp, soulful - Variety
Videos for Good: Mo Scarpelli on stories that liberate - Vimeo blog
'If you're not trusting yourself...' Mo Scarpelli on She Does podcast / Filmmaker Magazine
Mo Scarpelli and Anbessa (interview) - Convenzionali
Interview with Mo Scarpelli, last works, “Anbessa”and relationships between film and music - Beatz of All Nations
SIMA Filmmaker Interview with Mo Scarpelli - SIMA
‘Anbessa’ Director Mo Scarpelli On The Impact Of Modernisation In Ethiopia - Close-Up Culture
Director Mo Scarpelli on the Making of Her New Documentary - Italian Cinema Today
Anbessa: A Beautiful Story of a Child's Escape into Imagination as a Coping Mechanism for Displacement - OkayAfrica
COMMERCIAL CLIENTS / ORGANIZATIONS
The Committee to Project Journalists (CPJ)
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The Izumi Foundation
The END Fund
The Luminos Fund
Lieber Institute for Brain Development
Whirlpool
The GAP + Red Campaign
Microsoft
Google
Midol
Serenbe Farms
Isaac Mizrahi
Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
Martin Ennals Foundation Award
Aeras
Yahoo!