Jesse Lerner

Jesse Lerner is a Professor of Media Studies at Pitzer College. He holds a PhD from Claremont Graduate University, an MA from the University of Southern California, and a BA from UCLA. His work focuses on experimental cinema, ethnographic filmmaking, and Latin American visual culture.

• PhD, Claremont Graduate University
• MA, University of Southern California
• BA, University of California, Los Angeles

Lerner’s research explores intersections of Mexican modernism, pre-Hispanic art, and documentary practices. His publications address topics like the 1968 Mexico City protests, the aesthetics of Latin American cinema, and colonial visual narratives.

His articles span from 2010 to 2017, covering themes such as media archaeology, ethnographic experimentation, and borderland modernism. These works often engage with avant-garde traditions and politicized aesthetics.

• Jury Award for La Piedra Ausente at Ann Arbor Film Festival (2014)
• Premio Zapata for La Piedra Ausente (2013)
• CITY OF LOS ANGELES (COLA) AWARD (2009-10)

Lerner has curated exhibitions like Ism, Ism, Ism: Experimental Cinema in Latin America (2017-2019) and participated in international film festivals. He has received grants from the Graham Foundation and The Getty Foundation for projects including LA Collects LA.