Federico Muchnik directs documentaries and fiction films that often focus on local communities, history, and social issues. Born in Rome, he is a longtime Cambridge resident.

TO BOOK A LECTURE, MASTER CLASS, OR ONE OF HIS FILMS: federico.muchnik@comcast.net

LIST OF FILMS, BOOKS, AND COMMISSIONED WORKS:

DOCUMENTARIES

Touching History: Harvard Square, the Bank, & the Tasty Diner (2005): The film documents the conflict and controversy surrounding the redevelopment of Harvard Square, particularly the closing of the beloved local eatery, The Tasty Diner.

One Brick at a Time: Building People at an Inner City Youth Center (2007): This video documentary chronicles the daily life inside a youth center in Central Square, Cambridge, capturing a slice of the community.

Doc West Moves (2022): A short film profiling Lewis "Doc" West, a blind gospel and soul musician living in Cambridge.

Hunter in the Blackness: Veterans, Hope & Recovery (2017): This documentary features U.S. veterans sharing their experiences with deployment, post-traumatic stress, and recovery.

Open Space: Life at Cambridge's Danehy Park (2024): In this feature-length documentary, Muchnik interviews strangers he meets at Danehy Park in Cambridge, asking them to share their personal stories on topics such as grief, relationships, loss and how they engage with Danehy Park.

Massachusetts Avenue: Life Along Cambridge’s Main Artery (2025): Shot mostly on an iPhone 15, this documentary offers a "time capsule" of Cambridge, with a focus on local figures and events, including protests at Harvard and MIT.

NARRATIVE FILMS

Bad Guy, Rough Week (a.k.a. This Killing Business) (2013): A feature film directed and written by Muchnik. The crime-noir story was inspired by the work of pulp crime author Jim Thompson.

The Golden Boat (1990): Muchnik co-wrote the screenplay and played the male lead in this absurdist black comedy, directed by Raúl Ruiz.

Something Different (2019): A modern retelling of a short story from Boccaccio’s Decameron

NOVELS AND EDUCATIONAL WORK

He has also produced numerous educational videos for PBS. He has taught filmmaking at Boston University, Emerson College, and Lesley University.

He is the author of The Strategic Producer, a user’s manual for independent filmmakers, the novella, The Film Academy of Seekonk, RI; A Satire of Film School, and the crime novella set in Cambridge, Lucky Tom..