Crested Butte, Colorado (April 9, 2026)

Crested Butte Film Festival Names Lucy Lerner

as Guest Programming Director of the 16th Annual Festival

Crested Butte Film Festival (CBFF) proudly announces Lucy Lerner as Guest Programming Director for its 16th annual festival, September 24-27, 2026. A lifelong enthusiast of cinema and pop culture, Ms. Lerner will help shape the festival in 2026. Lucy is a seasoned programmer, curator, and producer with a dynamic career in the film festival world. She currently serves as Director of Shorts Programming at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in Missoula, MT, and as Senior Manager of Programming at Aspenfilm's Shorts Fest. Lucy also curates and produces the Psychedelic Cinematheque, a featured program of the biennial Psychedelic Science Conference.

Her wide-ranging experience includes long tenures with both Telluride Film Festival and Mountainfilm, film curation for the Psychedelic Puppet Show, jury service at numerous festivals, and ongoing consulting work in the festival and event space. Raised in Chicago and based in the Mountain West, Lucy brings a thoughtful, wide-ranging perspective to her work across the industry.

With deep roots in Colorado and the West along with a lifelong commitment to supporting filmmakers and independent film, Lerner is an ideal choice to lead CBFF's 16th edition where she will help advance the festival's mission to bring audiences together through immersive, captivating films that spark conversation, foster community, and open windows to the wider world.

As guest director, Lerner will bring her insight, creativity and energy to shape the 2026 festival's programming, filmmaker panels and many discussions.

To guest direct the programming at Crested Butte Film Festival is an honor and a homecoming,” says Lerner. “I'm thrilled to be in Crested Butte, a community dear to my heart - one that has long celebrated the arts. This festival has always been a sanctuary for bold storytelling, and I'm eager to continue to shape a vision that celebrates that independent spirit. This role is a chance to amplify voices from all backgrounds and ensure their stories find a home against the backdrop of the Gunnison Valley.”

Lucy has been a part of many Crested Butte Film Festivals over the years, and the community is excited to welcome her back to the Gunnison Valley. CBFF's Executive Director Scott Robson notes, “I've been inspired by Lucy's programming for years across the West, and our team is thrilled to collaborate with her to bring a unique vision to life at this September's festival in Crested Butte.”

Media Contact:

Scott Robson

Executive Director, Crested Butte Film Festival Phone: (720) 201-7888

Email: scott@cbfilmfest.org

Website: https://www.cbfilmfest.org/

Instagram: @CBFilmFestival

#cbfilmfest #cbfilmfestival

Submitted: 04/09/26
Article By: Crested Butte Film Festival