I immigrated here with my family when I was 13. At the time I was a self-conscious teenage girl. Adjusting to a new environment with a different language was difficult. The question “will I be able to fit in?” constantly ran through my mind. I still remember my very first P.E. class, the fear of being unable to understand my classmates made me anxious. “Will I let my teammates down because I don’t understand what they’re saying?” Luckily, my peers and teachers made a welcoming space for me to learn, adapt, and accept the fact that I am different. Coastal Football Club is located in the neighborhood where my family settled when we immigrated to Canada. When I came across the organization, I was inspired by what the organization is striving to achieve: to build an inclusive soccer community with equitable opportunities for everyone. I quickly wrote down a short story based on my personal experiences and pitched it to the club, who then responded with great enthusiasm and agreed to the collaboration. With a strong passion for the story, the entire film was self-funded by myself and the cinematographer Christian Lai. Throughout the entire process of bringing this film to life, we’ve worked with people from various cultural backgrounds, and with people who speak different languages. The most amazing about the entire experience was that we reaffirmed the beauty of sport - the universal language of soccer. Both crew and cast would play soccer when they were on breaks on set, whether or not they knew each other before. This is a very special film that connected us all. We didn’t need to try to fit in with one another - we were already on the same playing field.

Born in Taipei, Taiwan, Athena graduated from SFU Film Production program and was a mentee at the Vancouver International Film Festival 2019. As a Taiwanese-Canadian writer-director, she likes to tell stories exploring family dynamics, culture clashes, and self-identity. She has had experience directing in both Taiwan and Canada. Her films have been showcased in numerous festivals such as Cinequest, Rhode Island International Film Festival, Taiwan’s Golden Harvest Award, Whistler Film Festival, and the Los Angeles Asian Film Festival. She has also received awards such as the A&E Short Filmmaker Award for Best Film and the Shaw Media Fearless Female Director Award. In May 2023, her first professional work, the branded content for Coastal FC's "Language We Know" was released, and it was selected by the Berlin Commercial Awards, the Aesthetical Film Festival, and the Cannes Independent Film Festival. Funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, the BC Arts Council, and the National Film Board, Athena is now currently in post-production for her next film Sitting Bird. She is also in the development of her first feature film Precious Yellow Metals, which is also funded by the Canada Council for the Arts.