Kristina Arjona is a multifaceted individual who embodies the qualities of a queer Latina director, intimacy coordinator, mental health coordinator, and former actress. As a proud SAG-AFTRA member and certified Intimacy Coordinator through Intimacy Professionals Association, Kristina has dedicated themselves to creating a safe and respectful environment for all individuals involved in their projects.
Born in Washington D.C. to immigrant parents from Colombia and Germany, Kristina's childhood was marked by a sense of adventure and exploration. Her father, a medical missionary, took the family on extended trips around the world, where Kristina discovered her passion for storytelling. She began using performance techniques at a young age, particularly during her time in China.
Kristina's educational background includes a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting and a Bachelor of Arts in Theatrical Design & Production from Elon University, as well as studies in theatre at the Alabama School of Fine Arts High School in Birmingham, AL. She has also received training in intimacy coordination and mental health coordination, and is certified in Mental Health First Aid and Psychological First Aid.
With over 12 years of experience in the southeastern film industry, Kristina has worked on both sides of the lens, utilizing her unique skills and training to increase effective communication and safety for everyone involved. Her development of the Color Code Protocol in 2016, a communication technique and safety standards for working with sensitive material in film, has been adapted with the help of the sex-positive community. Kristina has also spoken about set safety strategies involving intimacy work at various universities and panels, including the Atlanta Film Festival, Women in Film, Out on Film Festival, Actor Empowerment Summit, and the Women in Production Summit.
Kristina is the founder and director of Jump Cut Collective, a film production company that emphasizes the importance of women, LGBTQIA+, and BIPOC artists in front and behind the camera. Her work has been showcased in several film festivals, including the Atlanta Film Festival, Sidewalk Film Festival, and Cucalorus Film Festival. Her first feature film, Christmas with Jerks, was released in 2024, and she is currently in pre-production for her second feature, a dark comedy vampire film entitled Randy Mandy and the Curse of the Plaza Theatre.
