Mascha Schilinski was born in 1984 in West Berlin. Through her mother, filmmaker Claudia Schilinski, she was introduced to the world of film as a child. However, in a later interview, Mascha Schilinski credited her father—a French construction worker whom she called the "secret cineaste" of the family—with playing a decisive role in sparking her love for cinema. According to various sources, she appeared in small roles in television and feature films during her school years, though no verifiable records exist.  

After completing a specialized high school diploma in psychology and undertaking several internships in the film industry, Schilinski worked as a casting assistant for the talent agency Gesichter in Potsdam-Babelsberg. In the mid-2000s, in her early twenties, she traveled across Europe for several years, performing as a magician and fire-eater with a small traveling circus in Italy.  

Back in Germany, Schilinski attended a scriptwriting masterclass at the Filmschule Hamburg in 2008. In 2012, she began studying directing at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg. Her 40-minute feature "Die Katze" (2015), about a fourteen-year-old girl who secretly blames her mother for her father leaving, premiered at the Max Ophüls Preis Film Festival. At the Los Angeles New Wave International Film Festival, Schilinski won both the Screenplay Award and the Best Student Film Award.  

Schilinski made her feature film debut with her graduation film "Die Tochter" ("Dark Blue Girl"), which thematically continues the story of "Die Katze": it follows a seven-year-old girl who, after her parents' separation, develops a close relationship with her father, leading to conflicts with her mother during a trip to Greece. "Die Tochter" screened at the Berlinale 2017 and at other international festivals. At the Vancouver International Women in Film Festival, the film won five awards, including Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Film. Its German theatrical release followed in May 2018. The lead role was played by Helena Zengel, who would soon gain fame with "Systemsprenger" ("System Crasher"). 

After directing two episodes of the crime series "SOKO Köln" (2019/20), Mascha Schilinski co-wrote the screenplay for her second feature film with Louise Peter: "In die Sonne schauen" ("Sound of Falling") tells the story of four girls growing up on an ancient farm across different eras. In February 2023, Schilinski and Peter received the Thomas Strittmatter Screenplay Award for Best Unfilmed Screenplay (then still titled "The Doctor Says I'll Be Alright, But I'm Feelin Blue"). Filming began in the summer of 2023, and in May 2025, "In die Sonne schauen" premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, where it was awarded the Jury Prize.