She has an MFA in Film & Video Writing and Directing from Columbia College Chicago and a BA in European Studies from UCLA. In 2010-2011, Abraham received a Fulbright Grant to live in Ecuador and complete research for a feature script, Girl with Child, about a teenage girl searching for a new home with her toddler. Abraham’s short film of the same name won Best Short Short at 2013 Aspen Shortsfest and the Chicago Award at the 2013 Chicago International Film Festival. Maria was a 2016 Film Independent Screenwriting Lab fellow with Girl with Child and will participate in TFI Network with the project in spring of 2018. Recently, Girl with Child won The Pitch at Industry Days, an IFP Chicago-Chicago International Film Festival event. Maria has worked as a director and producer on documentaries, commercials, music and fashion videos, and digital series.