David Aguilar is a L.A. born Chicano who spent his formative years in Placerville, California, a small town with a rich history that sparked the concept for his short film Hangtown, a coming-of-age drama which recently won Best Director (Short Film) at the Pasadena International Film Festival. Aguilar is currently developing Hangtown as his first feature film. Aguilar's recent writing credits include the CBS dramatic series Matlock and SWAT as well as the mini-series FDR, now streaming on Hulu, and the award-winning animated short film To The Letter, which won first place at the CBS Leadership Pipeline Challenge and Jury Prize at the Afro-Animation Awards. Before becoming a TV Writer, Aguilar taught at an East LA high school during the day, while moonlighting as a private investigator at night. Aguilar recently finished work on Trespassers -- a feature screenplay for director Alex Rivera dramatizing the 1967 New Mexico Courthouse Raid culminating in the largest manhunt on U.S. soil -- currently being taken out to market. Aguilar is a proud alum of the Paramount Writers Mentoring Program, the National Hispanic Media Coalition’s TV Writers Program, and UCLA Film School. He’s traveled to Chiapas, Mexico to teach filmmaking to the Zapatista guerrilla army as well as to Havana to study Cuban cinema. Aguilar lives in Pasadena, California with his wife Carolina. He is represented by Avatar Entertainment.
Filmography
Writer (3 Credits)
HANGTOWN2025
Short
HANGTOWN - Subtítulos en español2025
Short
TO THE LETTER2021
Animation, Short
Director (2 Credits)
HANGTOWN2025
Short
HANGTOWN - Subtítulos en español2025
Short
9 Awards & Selections
Best Writer & Rising Star - Kikéy Castillo HANGTOWN - Subtítulos en español
SacTown Film Festival Sacramento, CA
2026
Best Director - Short Film HANGTOWN - Subtítulos en español
Pasadena International Film Festival Pasadena, CA
2026
Best Writer & Rising Star - Kikéy Castillo HANGTOWN
SacTown Film Festival Sacramento, CA
2026
Best Director - Short Film HANGTOWN
Pasadena International Film Festival Pasadena, CA
2026
Visionary Spirit Award & Outstanding Cine Latino Long Form HANGTOWN - Subtítulos en español
Sacramento International Film Festival Sacramento, CA
2025
Visionary Spirit Award & Outstanding Cine Latino Long Form HANGTOWN
Sacramento International Film Festival Sacramento, CA
2025
First Place Winner TO THE LETTER
CBS Leadership Pipeline Challenge Awards Los Angeles
2021
Cultural Creatives Honor TO THE LETTER
Huntington Beach Cultural Cinema Showcase Huntington Beach