Born in Australia to a Sicilian-Calabrian family, Paola Morabito is an award-winning writer and director known for her unique storytelling approach. Her work is marked by a striking visual style and a talent for blending narrative depth with compelling imagery, capturing humanity in all its complexity. She also might be the only director in the world whose cooking once earned her a marriage proposal from a film legend - an Oscar nomination got nothing on her anchovy pasta.

Beyond her narrative and documentary films, Paola has directed award-winning commercials worldwide. In any medium, her work radiates visceral intimacy with a strong emotional pull—both powerful and playful, witty and wise. “I remember feeling like an outsider as a child when I’d obsessively play characters for my family until they’d had enough,” she recalls. “Then I’d set up my toys as the audience in my room. That’s when I learned to trust my own stories.”

Never one to take a conventional path, Paola’s film career began in an unexpected place: a hair salon. As a 21-year-old hairdresser and experimental filmmaker, she met Jane Campion, who happened to sit in her chair one fateful day. They struck up a rapport, and Paola was soon invited to work as Campion’s assistant on her feature film In the Cut, shot in New York City. This experience launched Paola’s directing career, leading to a collaboration with Campion as the 2nd Unit Director on Bright Star, filmed in London. Since everyone kept asking her, “What’s it like to work with Jane?” Paola created a documentary aptly titled Working with Jane.

Paola’s short film, I'm the One, premiered at the 69th Venice International Film Festival. Currently, she divides her time between Australia, and Los Angeles, developing her first feature film, The History of Sisters, along with her television project Out of This World. In her downtime, you’ll likely find her reading, swimming, dancing, cooking, or playing ping pong in her bathing suit and gum boots.