Ari Aster

Ari Aster (born July 15, 1986) is an acclaimed American filmmaker. He first gained recognition for his short film The Strange Thing About the Johnsons (2011) and has since become renowned for his works such as Hereditary (2018), Midsommar (2019), and Beau Is Afraid (2023), all of which were released by A24. Aster's films typically blend horror, dark comedy, and graphic violence, creating a distinctive and unsettling cinematic experience. In 2018, he co-founded the production company Square Peg with Danish producer Lars Knudsen. Born into a Jewish family in New York City, Ari's first exposure to movies was Dick Tracy (1990) at four years of age, sparking his love for film. After spending part of his childhood in England and New Mexico, Aster pursued his interest in filmmaking and screenwriting, studying film at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design and earning an MFA from the American Film Institute (AFI). During his high school years, he had written six feature-length screenplays, manifesting his obsession with the craft from an early age. Aster made his cinematic mark with multiple shorts post his graduation from AFI Conservatory. His breakthrough came with his feature-length directorial debut, Hereditary, which premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, received critical acclaim, and was a commercial success. Continuation of this success was echoed in Aster's following work, Midsommar, which was also well-received. Square Peg, Aster's production company, was launched in 2019, and has since announced its expansion into newer projects, such as producing Kristoffer Borgli's Dream Scenario, starring Nicolas Cage. On the horizon, Aster is directing the black comedy film Eddington, co-produced by A24 and Square Peg.