Safe Word

Safe Word explores the emotional movement toward healing that arises when we allow ourselves to experience vulnerability – even if that experience feels painful. It acknowledges that intimacy requires us to confront our fears. The film suggests that the option of familiar disconnection is always there if we need to feel safe at any point in the process of pursuing healing and connection.

Safe Word is a semi-biographical short film based on the real-life experiences of its actor and executive producer Mauricio Pita, who commissioned a film that reflected his experiences building self-love and embracing intimacy. Mauricio worked with German writer Eva von Schweinitz to develop the original story. A trusted creative collaborator, he brought the script to me mid-development and asked me to join the project. I was immediately drawn to the themes of the film which reflected my challenges with self-worth and intimacy. Simply put: it resonated. I was further interested in the project because I had the opportunity to work with the script and continue to write and develop the story. This allowed me to deeply connect with the characters, to mine Mauricio’s experiences, and to examine my journey as a queer man – all in service to this rich, emotional story. The result is a story that has a universal thematic undercurrent, a result of the collaboration between the three of us, in addition to a specific perspective unique to queer people.

In the direction of the film, I worked to emphasize the sensuality of the experience between the characters. I want the audience to viscerally feel the excitement and fraught nature of the on-screen connection. There is a gentle pulp-stylization that always takes a backseat to the genuine human center of the film. One challenge with shorts like this is the setting – how do we keep the film visually interesting even though it takes place in one setting? I designed our coverage with a diversity of camera angles in mind. We have some beautiful shots (always in service to the story or themes) that break up the physical space. In one sequence, when Cesar is particularly resisting the idea of growth, I put him on the right of the screen facing left – a visual representation of how he is the one preventing evolution for the intimacy between these two characters.

Ultimately, this film is about movement toward something better and more connected, and how difficult that can be. How do we process our inner conflicts? How do we introduce new narratives? How do we digest remarkable moments that hold the potential to transform us, and how do we remain safe in the process? I hope that our audiences will connect to the challenges the characters face. I want our viewers to leave the film with the sense that even though intimacy and self-love are difficult to sustain, they aren’t alone in that experience.