On February 15, the Latino Committee meeting was preceded by the panel discussion, Directors Navigate Relationships, Romance & Sex in TV & Film. In a conversation moderated by Committee member Eli Gonda (Sid Is Dead), Directors Steve Acevedo (Love and Baseball) and Gabriela Tagliavini (Christmas with You) discussed the complexities of directing romance and intimacy across film and television.

During the conversation, Tagliavini shared advice on guiding talent through sensitive scenes and navigating talent with at-odds working styles. Acevedo explored the importance of familiarity between actors and Directors in building trust and translating romance to the screen. The value of the role of the Intimacy Coordinator was examined at length, reinforcing the need to secure a ‘safe space’ for these types of scenes and narratives to flourish

Following the moderated portion of the conversation, the panelists took questions from the online audience.

About the Panelists:

Director Steve Acevedo Acevedo’s directorial credits include the feature Love and Baseball; episodes of Queen of the South and All-American: Homecoming; and a diverse spectrum of commercials for brands such as Nike Basketball and Cerveza Montejo. His film, El Cocodrilo, earned him the “Best Short Film” award at the 2013 Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival. Acevedo has been a DGA member since 2019.

Director Gabriela Tagliavini Tagliavini’s directorial credits include the features Christmas with You, Without Men and How to Break Up with A Douchebag; and the pilot and episodes of the series Casa Grande. Her feature, The Woman Every Man Wants, earned her the Best Director awards at the No Dance Film Festival and the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival. Tagliavini joined the DGA in 2021.

Director Eli Gonda (moderator) Gonda’s directorial credits include the feature films Sid Is Dead and The Outfield; and episodes of Freeridge, On My Block, ABC Discovers: Los Angeles Talent Showcase, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Husbands. He has been a member of the DGA since 2019 and is an alumnus of the Disney | ABC Directing Program, and the 2021-2022 DGA Television Director Mentorship Program.

ABOUT THE COMMITTEE:

The Latino Committee was created as a networking group to advance career and job opportunities for Latino DGA members by improving craft skills, networking, and making Latinos better known to the Hollywood creative community.

• Click here to visit the Latino Committee webpage.