In this episode of Best in Fest, host Leslie LaPage sits down with Theresa Demarest, an independent documentary filmmaker whose unconventional path to filmmaking includes life as a musician, critical care nurse, and activist storyteller.

Theresa shares how she transitioned into documentary filmmaking while telling the powerful story of Keiko—the orca made famous in Free Willy—and how that project launched her career behind the camera.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• 🎥 How Theresa created her first documentary, Keiko: The Untold Story of the Star of Free Willy
• 🐋 What it was like documenting the real-life story of Keiko the whale and the movement to return him to the wild
• 🎬 How independent filmmakers can navigate festivals, distribution, and streaming platforms
• 📺 How documentaries get placed on platforms like Amazon Prime and Vimeo
• 🎞️ Why aggregators are essential for distributing independent films
• 🐎 The inspiration behind her latest documentary, Throwaway Horses
• 📊 The realities of funding and promoting a documentary film without investors
• 🎟️ How grassroots screenings and nonprofit partnerships help build audiences
• 🎤 Why filmmakers must actively market their films even after landing distribution

Theresa also explains the behind-the-scenes realities of documentary filmmaking—from rough-cut screenings and festival feedback to building grassroots audiences through advocacy groups and targeted communities.