California State University, Northridge’s Spring 2024 Cinematheque series will pay tribute to Hollywood casting director and producer Deborah Aquila, Executive Vice President and Head of Casting at Paramount Television Studios & CBS Studios, to mark the end of Women’s History Month on Wednesday, March 27.

Hollywood casting director and producer Deborah Aquila.

At the free public event, Aquila will share her journey as a casting director and some of her greatest challenges and successes in casting in Hollywood. The program will include clips from her iconic films— “Shawshank Redemption”, “La La Land”, “Primal Fear”, “Sex Lies and Videotape” and more.

“Our honored guest will share advice to young actors on honing their talent and audition skills. The event will be a great opportunity for Cinema & Television students and Theatre students but also for the public to have an intimate conversation with true a Hollywood mover -and-shaker,” said CSUN film professor Dianah Wynter, the Cinematheque’s curator. “She is legendary, and we are honored to be having her as our guest.”

Aquila’s credits include 2022 Academy Award Best Picture winner “CODA”, “Shawshank Redemption” and close to 200 films and series. Additionally, she is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Casting Society of America (CSA). She has been nominated 18 times for the Artios Award by the CSA, winning for the feature films “Red”, “My Week with Marilyn”, “CODA” and “La La Land.”

Aquila’s talk will take place at 7 p.m. in CSUN’s Elaine and Alan Armer Screening Room, in Manzanita Hall, located near the southwest corner of the campus near Nordhoff Street and Lindley Avenue.

Founded by the late film professor John E. Schultheiss, the CSUN Cinematheque is housed in the Elaine and Alan Armer Screening Room, a state-of-the-art 130 seat motion picture theater, and made possible through the generosity of The Elaine and Alan Armer foundation.

For more information about the Cinematheque series, visit https://www.csun.edu/cinematheque. The series is offered by the Department of Cinema and Television Arts in the Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication.

CSUN Cinematheque, Department of Cinema and Television Arts, Mike Curb College of Arts Media and Communication, Performing Arts