Ari Aster (born July 15, 1986) is a Jewish-American filmmaker. Having garnered some initial recognition for the short film The Strange Thing About the Johnsons (2011), he became best known for writing and directing Hereditary (2018), Midsommar (2019), and Beau Is Afraid (2023), all of which were released by A24. His films have been noted for their unsettling combination of horror, dark comedy, and depictions of graphic violence. In 2018, he co-founded the production company Square Peg with Danish producer Lars Knudsen, which has since helped finance Robert Eggers' The Northman (2022), Kristoffer Borgli's Dream Scenario (2023), and more.