Best in Fest by Leslie LaPage

What happens when animal cruelty becomes profitable content?

In this powerful episode of Best in Fest, host Leslie LaPage speaks with journalist and animal advocate Nina Jackel and documentary filmmaker Kirk Murray about exposing animal abuse, confronting powerful technology companies, and using filmmaking as a catalyst for change.

Nina is the founder of Lady Freethinker, a nonprofit media organization dedicated to exposing and preventing animal suffering around the world. After repeatedly discovering graphic animal-abuse videos on YouTube, she took the extraordinary step of challenging the platform and demanding greater accountability for the content generating views, engagement, and advertising revenue.

Although the resulting lawsuit did not prevail in court, the campaign attracted widespread public attention and helped pressure YouTube to remove some of its most disturbing animal-torture content.

Nina and Kirk also take listeners behind the scenes of their documentaries We Are Animals and Cruelty for Clicks, which investigate the many ways animals are exploited for entertainment, profit, donations, and social-media engagement.

In this episode:

• How Lady Freethinker grew from an advocacy blog into a global animal-protection organization
• Why Nina Jackel decided to challenge YouTube over animal-abuse videos
• How Section 230 protects social-media platforms from liability for user-generated content
• Why losing a lawsuit can still create meaningful public change
• The disturbing rise of staged animal-rescue videos
• How fake shelters and rescue scams manipulate donors
• Why some creators deliberately place animals in danger before filming a “rescue”
• The hidden suffering behind exotic pets and viral animal videos
• How documentary filmmakers investigate difficult and emotionally challenging subjects
• The importance of veterinarians, researchers, and experts in revealing cruelty that viewers may not recognize
• How filmmakers balance graphic subject matter with compelling storytelling
• Why social-media companies must take greater responsibility for harmful content
• How audiences can recognize suspicious animal videos and avoid supporting exploitation

From puppies deliberately placed in danger to wild animals treated as props, Cruelty for Clicks reveals how online attention can fuel a disturbing global industry. The conversation also examines less obvious forms of exploitation, including pet monkeys, exotic cats, wildlife content, factory farming, and misleading labels that allow cruelty to remain hidden from consumers.

This episode is an essential listen for documentary filmmakers, animal advocates, journalists, nonprofit leaders, social-media users, and anyone concerned about the ethical responsibilities of major technology platforms.

Subscribe to Best in Fest for more conversations with filmmakers, activists, producers, writers, and creative leaders using storytelling to expose injustice and inspire change.

How do you create movies that entertain audiences, attract major talent, and still make a meaningful impact on the world?

In this episode of Best in Fest, host Leslie LaPage sits down with producer and One Community Head of Content Ameet Shukla for an in-depth conversation about social impact filmmaking, independent film production, finding powerful scripts, and building a sustainable career in Hollywood.

Ameet discusses the creative strategy behind films including Netflix’s Nonnas, the politically charged dark comedy Winner, and the acclaimed true-story drama Freeheld. He explains why socially relevant movies cannot simply preach to audiences—they must first be entertaining, emotionally engaging, and driven by unforgettable characters.

The conversation explores how producers identify a distinctive voice in a screenplay, balance artistic integrity with financing realities, and turn important social issues into stories audiences genuinely want to watch.

In this episode:

• How Winner turned a politically divisive true story into a heartfelt comedy
• Why complex characters are essential to impactful storytelling
• What producers look for when reading a screenplay
• How Freeheld transformed a real-life fight for equality into a major feature film
• Why Netflix’s Nonnas connects through food, family, caregiving, and community
• How to include social impact themes without overwhelming the entertainment
• The current challenges facing independent film financing
• Why mid-budget movies are becoming harder to produce
• How tax incentives influence where films are shot
• What the Head of Content at a production company actually does
• How producers choose writers, directors, editors, and creative collaborators
• What One Community looks for in new film and television projects
• Why filmmakers should plan beyond their first movie
• How technology has made filmmaking more accessible
• The importance of building a long-term creative career rather than chasing one breakthrough

Ameet also shares practical advice for filmmakers, writers, and producers trying to get noticed. His central message is simple: keep creating, develop a recognizable voice, think strategically about your second and third projects, and make work that proves what you can do.

Whether you are an aspiring producer, screenwriter, director, film student, or independent filmmaker, this episode offers an honest and valuable look at how meaningful stories move from the page to the screen.

Subscribe to Best in Fest for more conversations with award-winning filmmakers, producers, actors, screenwriters, festival leaders, and entertainment industry professionals.

What does it really take to build a lasting career in Hollywood?

In this episode of Best in Fest, host Leslie LaPage, founder of the La Femme International Film Festival, sits down with Academy Award-nominated writer, director, and producer Jonathan Heap for an in-depth conversation about storytelling, directing, editing, working with legendary actors, and surviving decades in the film industry.

Jonathan shares the incredible story behind his Oscar-nominated short film 12:01 PM, the time-loop classic that helped inspire an entire generation of films, including the popularity of stories built around repeating timelines. He explains how the short evolved into a feature film, what he learned working with Donald Sutherland, Amy Irving, and Rob Lowe, and why trusting your instincts remains the most valuable tool a filmmaker can develop.

The conversation also explores the realities of today's entertainment industry—from proof-of-concept short films and independent financing to directing actors, editing, test screenings, studio notes, and why great storytelling always starts with the script. Jonathan also discusses his latest festival short, Ghosts of '45, and his nonprofit work using film to create social impact.

Whether you're an aspiring filmmaker, director, screenwriter, producer, film student, or simply love hearing behind-the-scenes stories from Hollywood professionals, this episode is packed with practical advice and decades of filmmaking wisdom.

In this episode:

• The story behind the Oscar-nominated short film 12:01 PM
• How an Academy Award nomination changed Jonathan Heap's career
• Directing Donald Sutherland, Amy Irving, Eric Roberts, and Rob Lowe
• The secrets to getting authentic performances from actors
• Why rehearsal is one of a director's greatest tools
• How editing completely transforms a film
• Using audience screenings to improve your movie
• Turning a short film into a feature-length project
• Why proof-of-concept films still matter
• The current state of independent filmmaking and Hollywood
• Advice every first-time filmmaker should hear
• Why great films begin with great scripts

Welcome to Best in Fest, where host Lili Masztar-Hazi moderates a powerful panel discussion recorded at the inaugural La Femme International Film Festival Europe in Budapest.

Award-winning filmmakers, producers, directors, cinematographers, actors, and industry leaders come together to discuss what it's really like to build a career as a woman in today's film industry. From Hollywood to Europe, they share personal stories about overcoming bias, creating opportunities, mentoring the next generation, balancing motherhood with filmmaking, and why collaboration—not competition—is shaping the future of cinema. 

In this episode you'll learn:

•  How women are breaking barriers in the film industry 
•  The realities of directing, producing, acting, and cinematography 
•  Why mentorship and community are essential for long-term success 
•  The challenges of gender bias, pay equity, and representation 
•  Motherhood, career growth, and navigating creative leadership 
•  How film festivals help launch careers and build international networks 
•  Why women are creating their own opportunities through producing and independent filmmaking 
•  Advice for aspiring filmmakers looking to build lasting careers 

Featuring insights from Leslie LaPage, founder of the La Femme International Film Festival, alongside acclaimed filmmakers and creatives including Petra Körner, Dorka Gryllus, Yvonne Terek, Judit Romwalter, and other accomplished women working across every corner of the film industry. Together they explore how filmmaking is evolving—and what still needs to change. 

Whether you're an aspiring filmmaker, film student, producer, writer, actor, cinematographer, or simply passionate about cinema, this conversation offers practical career advice, inspiring personal stories, and an honest look at the future of women in film.

Subscribe to Best in Fest for more conversations with award-winning filmmakers, festival founders, producers, directors, actors, and creative leaders from around the world.

In this episode of Best in Fest, host Lili Masztar-Hazi brings together an inspiring panel of award-winning filmmakers, directors, producers, writers, sustainability leaders, and production designers to discuss the unexpected journeys that shaped their careers.

From changing careers later in life to overcoming rejection, launching independent production companies, attending film school, working on major studio productions, and finding success through international film festivals, each guest shares honest insights into what it really takes to build a career in filmmaking.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• How successful filmmakers found their unique career path
• Whether film school is necessary for a career in film
• The value of persistence, networking, and creative partnerships
• Lessons from directors, producers, writers, and production designers
• How sustainability is transforming modern filmmaking
• Behind-the-scenes stories from independent films and major studio productions
• The challenges of financing, producing, and distributing films
• Advice for emerging filmmakers navigating today's industry
• Why there is no "right" way to become a filmmaker

Whether you're an aspiring filmmaker, film student, producer, writer, cinematographer, or simply passionate about cinema, this conversation offers practical advice and inspiring stories from professionals who have forged their own paths in one of the world's most competitive creative industries.

Subscribe to Best in Fest for more conversations with award-winning filmmakers, festival directors, producers, actors, screenwriters, and industry leaders from around the world.