Gabriela Cowperthwaite

Gabriela Cowperthwaite (born 1971) is an American filmmaker. She has directed documentaries and feature films, and she also produces, edits, writes, and directs for television and documentary films. Her films often deal with social, cultural, and environmental issues relating to real life events. Her most notable film is Blackfish (2013), which received a BAFTA nomination for Best Documentary. Early life and education Cowperthwaite's mother was a Brazilian psychoanalyst, and her father was an American real estate developer. She grew up in Denver, speaking Portuguese as her first language. She also played soccer in her youth. She attended Occidental College in Los Angeles, and graduated with a degree in political science. She also attended USC for Graduate School and graduated with an MA in Political Science. Career After college, Cowperthwaite pursued a Political Science graduate degree at USC. Cowperthwaite was first involved in commissioned work on television for more than 12 years. She spent time writing, directing, and producing documentary programs for outlets such as National Geographic, ESPN, Animal Planet, The History Channel, and Discovery Channel.