The Cucalorus Film Foundation has announced that Byron Hurt will chair the nonprofit art organization’s board of directors for 2021-22, according to a news release.

Hurt has been a member of the board for two years and also been part of the Cucalorus Festival, stated the release.

"I look forward to being a key member of the leadership team at Cucalorus, and contributing to its growth," Hurt said in the release.

His film Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes was screened at the 2007 film festival. That film was also premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and broadcast nationally on PBS’s Emmy award-winning series Independent Lens.

And in 2017, Hurt was a member of the Cucalorus Works-in-Progress Lab with his upcoming documentary Hazing. He has also served as a mentor for the program in recent years, stated the release.

Hurt’s upcoming documentary Hazing, is planned for a national PBS Broadcast on Independent Lens, stated the release. His film Soul Food Junkies also won best documentary at several film festivals, and also premiered on Independent Lens.

“Byron is an intuitive leader and his vision will help to drive transformation and adaptation within the Cucalorus community during these unprecedented times. Cucalorus is lucky to have another outstanding filmmaker taking this key leadership role,” said Cucalorus Executive Director Dan Brawley, in the release.

Hurt serves as an adjunct professor at Columbia University and was a filmmaker-in-residence at American University.