Ari Aster Overview
Ari Aster is an American filmmaker born July 15, 1986, in New York City, best known for writing and directing the feature films Hereditary (2018) and Midsommar (2019), both released by A24. His work established him as a prominent voice in elevated horror before he expanded into other forms of dark comedy and satire with Beau Is Afraid (2023) and the contemporary Western Eddington (2025). Aster co-founded the production company Square Peg with Danish producer Lars Knudsen in 2019 and maintains an active relationship with A24 and collaborators from his American Film Institute years.
Raised partly in England and chiefly in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Aster trained formally in film, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Santa Fe University of Art and Design and an MFA from the American Film Institute Conservatory. He has been active in filmmaking since the late 2000s, building a profile through short films and festival screenings before moving into feature filmmaking.
Founding and Organizational Origins
Ari Aster’s formal production footprint expanded with the founding of Square Peg in June 2019, a production company launched with producer Lars Knudsen. Square Peg was announced as a vehicle to produce projects tied to Aster and to develop work by other filmmakers, and it later produced titles in partnership with A24 and other creative collaborators.
Aster’s organizational and creative origins trace to his time as a film student and early short filmmaker. He began studying film in 2004 at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design, where he started directing short films and writing for local publications, and after graduating in 2008 he submitted work that led to acceptance at the American Film Institute Conservatory. While at AFI he completed a thesis short that garnered attention and worked closely with a small circle of collaborators who followed him into his feature career.
Ari Aster Competitive Journey
Aster’s career progressed from written screenplays and student shorts to short-film notoriety and then to commercial-feature success and festival recognition. His trajectory moved steadily from provocative short films into high-profile feature work distributed by A24, followed by a production company launch and a first-look television arrangement that broadened his creative remit.
Early Seasons and Development (2004–2010)
Aster began formal film study in 2004 at Santa Fe University of Art and Design, producing several short films while completing his undergraduate degree and contributing to local arts journalism. After graduating in 2008 he made the short Tale of Two Tims and submitted work to the American Film Institute; acceptance to AFI’s graduate program led to an MFA focused on directing and further short-film production.
During his AFI years Aster made several short projects that sharpened his voice and collaborative network. The conservatory setting connected him with recurring collaborators, and one of his early short films served as his graduate thesis and later became a widely discussed piece in online and festival circuits.
Breakthrough in Feature Filmmaking (2018–2019)
Ari Aster made his feature-length directorial debut with Hereditary in 2018, a supernatural horror film that premiered in the Midnight section at the Sundance Film Festival and was released theatrically in June of that year. The film drew critical acclaim for its direction and performances, became a commercial success—grossing more than $80 million worldwide on an estimated $10 million budget—and established Aster as a major new voice in contemporary horror.
In 2019 Aster followed with Midsommar, a folk horror film produced by A24 that received strong reviews and particular praise for Florence Pugh’s lead performance and for Aster’s visual choices. The film’s original 171-minute director’s cut premiered at the Film Society of Lincoln Center, and Aster earned a Gotham Independent Film Awards nomination for Best Screenplay for his work on the project.
Breakthrough in Recent Features (2023–2025)
Aster pivoted into a broader tonal register with Beau Is Afraid, released in April 2023. The film, described as a “nightmare comedy,” received mixed critical response, drew both strong praise and significant criticism, and underperformed commercially; box-office returns were around $10 million against a reported budget of $35 million, and reports indicated substantial losses on the title for its distributor.
Following Beau Is Afraid, Aster wrote and directed Eddington, a contemporary Western satirical black comedy set during 2020 and co-produced by A24 and Square Peg. Eddington premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025 and opened theatrically in July 2025, marking his continued presence on the international festival circuit and his movement into more overtly satirical and socially rooted storytelling.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2025–Present)
By 2025 Ari Aster’s professional activity included filmmaking, production, and development deals. He signed a first-look television arrangement with A24 in 2021 and expanded Square Peg’s slate to cultivate projects from other filmmakers alongside his own work. Square Peg’s announced slate and partnerships have included a range of film and television adaptations and producer collaborations.
That institutional growth reflects a twofold priority: to continue making auteur-driven feature films while building a production company capable of supporting other filmmakers and larger projects. His recent moves into long-form development and production partnerships indicate a sustained engagement with both festival-driven cinema and commercial distribution pathways.
Engineering Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
Ari Aster’s filmmaking identity emphasizes emotional and psychological horror rather than conventional jump scares, often exploring grief, family trauma, and the breakdown of personal identity. His visual approach frequently juxtaposes bright, pastoral settings with disturbing action, favors long takes and meticulous mise-en-scène, and blends slow-burn pacing with sudden, graphic moments of violence to create sustained unease.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
Key moments in Aster’s career include the viral response to his thesis short The Strange Thing About the Johnsons, the commercial and critical breakthrough of Hereditary, the festival and awards recognition surrounding Midsommar, the founding of Square Peg in 2019, the polarizing reception to Beau Is Afraid in 2023, and the Cannes competition premiere of Eddington in 2025.
Ari Aster Achievements and Results
Ari Aster’s verified achievements combine critical recognition, commercial success at the independent level, and a visible festival presence. Hereditary became A24’s highest-grossing film worldwide at the time of its release and established Aster’s reputation, Midsommar reinforced his distinctive voice and earned screenplay recognition, and his production and development initiatives through Square Peg and his first-look deals signal a broader industry role beyond directing.
