What does it really take to build a career as a feature film director — starting at age 15 and continuing across continents, cultures, and film festivals? In this episode of Best in Fest, host Leslie LaPage, Director of the La Femme International Film Festival, sits down with Dominik Sedlar, an award-winning director whose career spans documentaries, narrative features, international co-productions, and major festival premieres. Born in Croatia, raised in New York, and educated through hands-...
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What does it really take to build a career as a feature film director — starting at age 15 and continuing across continents, cultures, and film festivals? In this episode of Best in Fest, host Leslie LaPage, Director of the La Femme International Film Festival, sits down with Dominik Sedlar, an award-winning director whose career spans documentaries, narrative features, international co-productions, and major festival premieres. Born in Croatia, raised in New York, and educated through hands-...
What does it really take to build a career as a feature film director — starting at age 15 and continuing across continents, cultures, and film festivals? In this episode of Best in Fest, host Leslie LaPage, Director of the La Femme International Film Festival, sits down with Dominik Sedlar, an award-winning director whose career spans documentaries, narrative features, international co-productions, and major festival premieres. Born in Croatia, raised in New York, and educated through hands-...
In this inspiring episode of Best in Fest, host Leslie LaPage sits down with Danielle Hobbs—a true multi-hyphenate creative force whose career spans dance, choreography, acting, education, authorship, and filmmaking. Danielle Hobbs Full Episode Danielle shares her remarkable journey from concert dance and global tours to choreographing for Beyoncé, performing on Michael Jackson’s Immortal World Tour, and ultimately expanding her creative mission through children’s books and narrative f...
In this powerful episode of Best in Fest, Leslie LaPage sits down with Marcia S. Ross—Emmy-nominated documentary producer and former SVP of Casting at Walt Disney Pictures—to reveal the real Hollywood career path that led her from discovering breakout stars to producing globally recognized documentaries like Terrence McNally: Every Act of Life, Nazarene, and The Savoy King. Marcia opens up about: Her rise through New York theater and casting—including her years at CBS, Warner Bros., and Disne...
In this inspiring Best in Fest episode, host Leslie LaPage sits down with award-winning writer, director, and musician Paula Tiberius — one of the very first La Femme Film Festival winners — to explore her incredible evolution from indie rocker and filmmaker to in-demand screenwriter for Hallmark, Lifetime, and Netflix. Paula opens up about her early days making the cult rock-and-roll movie Goldie Rocks, her journey breaking into Hollywood, and how she found creative freedom writing beloved T...
In this powerful Best in Fest episode, host Leslie LaPage sits down with award-winning actress, producer, and entrepreneur Jacqueline Fleming — known for Love Jones, Losing Isaiah, and collaborations with stars like Halle Berry, Morgan Freeman, and Mark Wahlberg. Jacqueline shares her remarkable journey from Denmark to Hollywood, revealing how she turned frustration into fuel — building a multi-hyphenate career as an actress, producer, and now the founder of Slate Distribution and At the Kitc...
In this inspiring Best in Fest episode, host Leslie LaPage spotlights the award-winning filmmakers of the 2025 LaFemme International Film Festival. From a Ukrainian refugee’s moving documentary Mama’s Voice, to the hilarious and heartfelt short The Whole Truth about motherhood and hemorrhoids, to the genre-bending Nepo Baby exploring identity and fame, to the chilling psychological thriller Don’t Let Them Out, and the emotional documentary The Ramba Effect about Chile’s last circus elephant—e...
In this inspiring Best in Fest episode, host Leslie LaPage spotlights the award-winning filmmakers of the 2025 LaFemme International Film Festival. From a Ukrainian refugee’s moving documentary Mama’s Voice, to the hilarious and heartfelt short The Whole Truth about motherhood and hemorrhoids, to the genre-bending Nepo Baby exploring identity and fame, to the chilling psychological thriller Don’t Let Them Out, and the emotional documentary The Ramba Effect about Chile’s last circus elephant—e...
In this episode of Best in Fest, filmmaker, educator, and Army veteran Shannan Wynn shares her extraordinary journey from serving in the armed forces and counseling at-risk youth to building her own production company, Winquest Entertainment. Shannan reveals how her life experiences inspired her debut thriller A Life of Sunshine—a female-driven, murder mystery now streaming on Amazon Prime and Apple TV—and how she navigated the challenges of self-funding, casting, and distribution Shannan Wy...
In this episode of Best in Fest, branding strategist, publisher, and fashion-to-film trailblazer Lela Christine Thompson shares how she built a dynamic career at the intersection of fashion, entertainment, and digital media. From designing for Queen Pen and collaborating with 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment on campaigns for Moulin Rouge, Soul Food, and The Hunger Games, to launching her own digital magazines like Power Player Lifestyle, Fab Five Lifestyle, and Goddess Couture News, Lela r...
In this powerhouse episode of Best in Fest, award-winning producer and industry trailblazer Kimberly Ogletree shares her incredible journey through music videos, television, and independent filmmaking. From working with icons like Russell Simmons, Stevie Wonder, and Julie Dash to producing groundbreaking content for BET, Viacom, and MTV, Kimberly reveals how she transitioned from million-dollar music videos to producing ten original TV movies on a shoestring budget—paving the way for Black st...
In this inspiring episode of Best in Fest, entertainment attorney turned filmmaker Sauda Johnson-McNeal shares her journey from studying acting at USC to founding her own production company, Ron Ash LLC, and creating the award-winning independent film Love the Skin You’re In. What began as a personal story of healing and self-discovery evolved into a powerful film about self-acceptance, resilience, and learning to love yourself at every stage of life riverside_sauda_johnson-mcneal_…. Sauda o...
In this episode of Best in Fest, Emmy-nominated supervising sound editor Bobbi Banks shares her inspiring journey from starting as an assistant with no film background to becoming one of Hollywood’s most respected post-production voices. With over 120 film and TV credits—including Desperately Seeking Susan, Poetic Justice, Self Made, Snowfall, and When They See Us—Bobbi reflects on her early mentors, her groundbreaking work with John Singleton, and her path to leadership in the Motion Picture...
In this inspiring episode of Best in Fest, producer and filmmaker Christine La Monte takes us on a globe-spanning journey through her extraordinary career—from pioneering studio marketing campaigns in the 1980s to producing award-winning documentaries like Viva Verdi and Ai Weiwei: Yours Truly. Christine shares how she broke into the male-dominated entertainment industry, the spiritual force behind her creative choices, and how saying “yes” led to collaborations with cinematic legends and glo...
Actress-turned-documentarian Marta György-Kessler joins Best in Fest to share her fascinating transformation from the stages of Budapest to uncovering untold spiritual journeys through film. In this episode, Marta dives into the backstory of her award-winning documentary Hannah: Buddhism's Untold Journey, her deep connection to Buddhist icon Hannah Nydahl, and her current film chronicling the life of the 16th Karmapa—one of Tibetan Buddhism’s most revered figures. Host Leslie Lippa explores M...
In this powerful episode of Best in Fest, Leslie LaPage sits down with legendary actor, director, teacher, and empowerment leader Richard Lawson. With a career spanning over 55 years—from Poltergeist to Tyler Perry productions—Lawson shares his journey of resilience, integrity, and artistry. He discusses his groundbreaking philosophy from The Artist’s Roadmap, why “no” is never the end but a reroute, and how mastering both craft and business creates lasting success in Hollywood. Along the way...
In this insightful episode of Best in Fest, Leslie LaPage sits down with Sam Goff—creative talent manager at Fourth Wall Management and self-proclaimed “animation activist.” From her early days at DreamWorks and Netflix to teaching animated perspectives at Loyola Marymount and Cal State Long Beach, Sam shares how authentic voices are reshaping the future of animation. She dives into the importance of DEI in storytelling, why projects like K-Pop Demon Hunters succeed where others fall flat, an...
What does it take to transform a lifetime of dance into powerful storytelling for film, opera, and television? In this episode of Best in Fest, host Les LaPage sits down with Jermaine McGhee—scholar, choreographer, educator, and former principal dancer for the LA and San Francisco Opera, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning Omar. Jermaine shares his journey from performing in blockbuster films like Dance Flick to choreographing works that merge ballet, jazz, and American dance culture. He ope...
In this episode of Best in Fest, Leslie LaPage chats with television producer Audrey Smith about the art and strategy behind reality TV’s evolving sub-genres. Audrey breaks down the difference between docu-follow and soft-scripted formats, revealing how casting, storytelling, and audience expectations shape each style. From Girlfriend Confidential to today’s surge in true documentary content, Audrey shares insider tips on creating compelling narratives, keeping viewers hooked, and navigating ...
In this inspiring episode of Best in Fest, Les Lippa sits down with filmmakers David Morrison, Penny Edmondson, and Judy Marlin to talk about their dynamic documentary It’s Our Ball—the untold story of senior women dominating the basketball court and redefining age, athleticism, and respect. From heartfelt personal journeys to the challenges of authentic storytelling, the trio shares how they brought these powerful voices to the screen and why this project is changing the conversation around ...
What does it take to go from indie filmmaker to Emmy-winning director? In this episode of Best in Fest, host Leslie LaPage sits down with Bridget Stokes—trailblazing director of A Black Lady Sketch Show, Hello, Jack!, and Boy Genius—to unpack her inspiring rise through the film and television world. From waiting tables in New York to winning an Emmy as the first woman in her category, Bridget shares the real hustle behind her success. She dives deep into the contrasts between episodic TV and ...
What does it really take to build a career as a feature film director — starting at age 15 and continuing across continents, cultures, and film festivals? In this episode of Best in Fest, host Leslie LaPage, Director of the La Femme International Film Festival, sits down with Dominik Sedlar, an award-winning director whose career spans documentaries, narrative features, international co-productions, and major festival premieres. Born in Croatia, raised in New York, and educated through hands-...
