Their award-winning 2019 feature film “Epiphany,” filmed in Tarpon Springs, Fla., has garnered more than 8.5 million worldwide views on YouTube.

Now, Koula Sossiadis Kazista and Katina Sossiadis, sisters, veteran filmmakers and Bethlehem natives, have a new feature film in the works.

“The Next Play,” slated for production in the Lehigh Valley in Spring 2025, is said to be the first feature film about field hockey produced on United States turf. More than a sports movie, the new project delves into the intricacies of friendship, sisterhood, parental pressures, and the challenges faced by a closely-knit yet competitive group of athletes.

The film is intended to shed light on the often-overlooked realm of mental health among student athletes.

It’s no mistake that field hockey takes center stage in the celebrated filmmakers’ next endeavor.

The dynamic film duo grew up in Bethlehem, participated in sports, and as parents, have been entrenched in the daily challenges of team sports, particularly field hockey.

Kazista played field hockey for Moravian Academy, and coached her daughter’s Pee-Wee team. A producer of the film, Beth Clausnitzer, played for Saucon Valley High School, before heading to Ursinus College where she played field hockey. The three women have daughters who played field hockey from their youth, and now, as freshmen in college.

Such details were discussed at a red carpet event at Civic Theatre of Allentown in July. The filmmakers sat down for a talkback session with Clausnitzer before an audience of nearly 200.

The event was also a fundraiser for Morgan’s Message, an organization dedicated to eliminating mental health stigma in high school and collegiate student-athlete communities. The nonprofit was named in honor of Morgan Rodgers, a Duke University lacrosse player who committed suicide after a devastating knee injury sidelined the athlete and artist for more than a year.

Her death shocked all who knew the bright young student. Morgan’s Message has become a symbol in all sports for mental-health awareness. The organization provides education and peer support with nearly 6,000 ambassadors on more than 1,900 high school and college campuses nationwide.

Kazista, who has worked on major film projects such as “School of Rock” and “Anger Management,” says the mood of their new film will be a blend of the look and feel of “Dead Poets Society” with the energy of “Bend it Like Beckham.”

The Lehigh Valley couldn’t be a better backdrop to produce such a film. Pennsylvania is a mecca for field hockey and the passion for the sport is high. Many of the most accomplished players and coaches hail from the Commonwealth. The USA Field Hockey Team had 11 of 16 athletes from the Keystone State for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Clausnitzer, who has worked in production and casting for several Dan Roebuck films, including “Lucky Louie,” “St. Nick of Bethlehem” and “Hail Mary,” organized the event at Civic and was instrumental in attaining a surprise video greeting from Ashley Sessa, a leading USA field hockey team member, Olympian and Schwenksville, Montgomery County, native.

Sessa’s message was upbeat, creative and encouraging to the audience of film fans and also scores of young field hockey players Sessa created the video days before she was to jet to Paris to join Team USA for the Summer Olympics.

Actress-comedian Kate Hughes provided a lively message combining the seriousness of mental health awareness with her signature style of comedy.

Colin Coleman provided a stand-up comedy opener.

Musician Galen Deery delivered soulful acoustics of his original songs.

Since the fundraiser and screening, the filmmakers say they have been contacted by at least 40 athletes and parents in support of the new film.

“Girls and parents have written to us about the pressures, the injuries and about the need for a message that addresses the mental health aspect,” says Kazista, adding that “another gal wrote to us, noting that she has founded a club for injured athletes.”

“The Next Play” will highlight an animated purple butterfly inspired by Morgan’s artwork. Morgan’s mother Dona granted permission for “The Next Play” to use the symbol in sequences in the film.

“We have made the Morgan’s Message butterfly logo a very important part of the script. It’s symbolic to us. It represents unity, team and structure,” says Sossiadis. She says that their new film is not so much about Morgan’s life, but about bringing her life to light, and the message of education for mental health.

In September, “The Next Play” gained an important fiscal partner as an accepted project by Reel Hope, a nonprofit organization in the film industry that supports films with messages the group believes will help change the world.

The filmmakers have partnered with several organizations, including The Hidden Opponent, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) - Lehigh Valley, Longstreth Sporting Goods, YOLO Sports, Hocsocx and Female Athlete News.

Information: “The Next Play,” www.thenextplay.com/ ; thenextplaycasting@gmail.com

Information: Reel Hope, https://www.reelhope.org/