As FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 inspired millions of children witnessing a path they’d not thought possible before, Andrea Font, a multi-talented camera woman and content creator, took her trusted Sony Alpha 7S III, to capture how football can change communities everywhere, and reveals why it is her favourite Sony camera to film on.

After discovering ‘Gate of Football’, an inspiring purpose-driven project in Thailand, Andrea jumped on a flight to meet some of the children that the project was already helping. “Gate of Football is part of a global non-profit foundation whose mission is to help children,” she explains. “Its methodology is to create opportunities within a framework of physical and emotional value – and of course football is perfect for that. I heard about it from a writer friend, and as I got to know the people involved in one of its projects in Thailand, I quickly knew it was a tale I wanted to spread as far and wide as possible.”

Travelling light, Andrea shot the film on her Alpha 7S III with FE 24mm f/1.4 G Master and the FE PZ 16-35mm f/4 G lenses. “For a film like this, it was important to be versatile,” she says, “and the Alpha 7S III provides tremendous quality in a very small package. As well as the regular footage for interviews and similar, when the kids were practising, I shot a lot of 4K video at 120fps which I combined with a slow shutter.”

Immediately, the power and scope of the project was evident, says Andrea, “Mook and Pin are best friends, but very different. Mook has a good economic background, but if it wasn’t for sport, she’d often be alone because her parents always need to work. As for Pin, her family lives in a very small house and the economic conditions are not the best. So, if she didn't have football, she would already be working at the small food stall next to her house.”

“But Elle is the real protagonist of the documentary,” Andrea explains, “and it’s around her that its themes are centred: strength and endurance, growth, bravery and acceptance. She’s a Thai woman who was a professional footballer, playing in the UK and Australia. Now she’s taken that experience and is leading this project to help others. Through the values of sport, children are developing the skills they need to help themselves.”

The importance of role models and supportive figures isn’t lost on Andrea, “It’s so important to have support in your development,” she explains, “and to feel the admiration of your loved ones. My artistic interests came from watching my father work in photography, and he and my mother supported my decision to be a photographer and filmmaker. Some people told me that what I wanted was too difficult to reach. Professionally I’ve experienced sexism and been questioned about my skill.”

But like Elle, Andrea was resilient and continued to fight for what she wanted, which led to enormous personal growth, and the ability to create projects like this documentary. “This was the first film of this kind I’ve made,” she explains, “but it really helped me to grow and connect my thoughts in a much clearer way, solve problems and gain experience. For instance, until the day before we started shooting, I didn't really know exactly what I wanted. But talking to Elle about her strengths, the obstacles she overcame and how proud she was of what she had achieved, I found the message and the flow of it.”

The Alpha 7S III’s Dual ISO feature was also a great help, letting Andrea control exposure and shutter speed much more easily, while still giving the maximum amount of dynamic range for richly detailed footage. “That’s one of the main reasons I chose Sony,” she says, “the quality and the ingenuity of its sensors has been cutting edge for a long time.”

And while “the 24mm f/1.4 GM will forever be my favourite lens,” she continues, “I also loved using the PZ 16-35mm f/4. The addition of the Power Zoom gives a lot more control in reframing and camera movement, giving me exactly the energy that I wanted in many of the shots.”

“When I finished shooting this project, my heart was beating out of my chest,” Andrea finishes. “Elle had taught me so much in just two days and I really admire her for it. It shows what can happen when you surround yourself with beautiful people. Making this film has inspired me to continue looking for women around the world with stories of strength and struggle so that I can document their successes, too. Elle told me, ‘your film has made Mook and Pin feel that they’re even more important, and sharing their stories will change even more lives,’ but Elle is the flame that has ignited it all, and being able to help her empower other people is the best feeling.”