Bio

Reina Bonta is a professional football player and award-winning filmmaker who graduated from Yale in 2022. She represents the Philippines Women's National Team as a central defender and currently competes in Brazil's top division at Santos FC, birthplace of Pelé, Neymar, and Marta. As a film writer/director with experiences ranging from dramatic series production at HBO to run-and-gun documentary camera work in Kenya, she is a passionate creator. Her work as an archival producer on the Amazon Prime Video documentary “Judy Blume Forever” helped secure a global premiere at Sundance Film Festival 2023. Her debut narrative short film, “LAHI”, an award-winning story about Filipino-American identity and reconnection, was accepted to 10 nation-wide film festivals including CAAMFest and Asian World Film Festival, and was acquired for distribution. Reina is interested in stories that humanize athletes, center family and cultural narratives, and engage the power of community storytelling.