She worked simultaneously in theater and cinema, on both sides of the camera, all over the world. She collaborated with artists as diverse as the master of Portuguese cinema Manoel de Oliveira, American directors Phil Kaufman in “Henry & June” and Quentin Tarantino in “Pulp Fiction,” and cult filmmakers Bigas Luna and Guy Maddin.

Maria directed the epic film about the Carnation Revolution in Portugal, "Capitanes de abril", selected for the Cannes Film Festival, and several documentaries. Her most recent fiction film, “To Our Children”, which has won several awards, was shot in Rio de Janeiro and explores the legacy of the military dictatorship in Brazil, as does her documentary “Repare bem”. She has released three albums, including “Pájaros eternos” which she wrote and composed, and which has been produced in numerous countries, such as Europe, Mexico and Brazil.

Her career continues to develop across different continents, with films like “Una quinta portuguesa” by Spanish director Avelina Prat, “Maria, a Rainha Louca” by Brazilian director Elza Cataldo, and “Le Roi Soleil” by French director Vincent Cardona. For the first of the above, Maria has been nominated for Best Actress at the Feroz Awards and the Goya Awards. Honoured as an actress and director, she is an “Officer of Arts and Letters” in France.