We Are The Messengers
We started Samtesto Sea Films because we were tired. Tired of doom-scrolling. Tired of hearing that the oceans are dying and there’s nothing we can do. Tired of glossy nature documentaries that show the beauty but hide the struggle.
We knew the truth was different. We knew that in every corner of the ocean, there are people fighting back. They aren’t famous. They don’t have PR teams. They often don’t even have funding. But they have grit, and they are winning battles every single day.
We are a small collective of filmmakers, divers, and storytellers. We decided to trade our comfort for a boat, our steady jobs for a camera, and our despair for action.
“We don’t want the credit. We don’t want the money. We just want to make sure the world knows who the real heroes are.”
Our model is simple: Total transparency. When you donate through a Samtesto film, 100% of that money goes to the person you just watched. We rely on a separate operational fund to keep our boat afloat and our cameras rolling.
Michael Samtesto
Director & Co-Founder
A Rescue Diver for 35 years and a filmmaker for 25. Best known for directing special features for the Harry Potter and Van Helsing DVDs. His documentaries, including “The Hidden Tiger” and “A Southern Fix”, have won awards at the Animal Film Festival and Wildlife Conservation Film Festival. He co-founded Rescue Doc Films to combine his two oldest passions.
Bonnie Lotesto
Producer & Co-Founder
Photographer, actor, videographer, jewelry designer, and animal rights advocate. Bonnie strives to infuse her passion for animals and equality into every project. She brings a lifetime of creative experience to her role as producer, ensuring every story is told with heart and integrity.