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This April, we’re dedicating our Director of the Month series to Ari Aster! A relatively new face on the film scene, Aster directed a string of short films before helming his first feature, Hereditary, in 2018 for A24. The film was a smash hit with both audiences and critics, and his follow-up film Midsommar received similarly overwhelming acclaim as well. The success of both films is often attributed to Aster’s emphasis on character and theme over gore and jump scares, earning the label of “elevated horror” from some critics. But don’t take our word for it, come experience the shocking chills of Aster’s films for yourself all month long!
Hereditary – Apr 7 – 10
Directed by Ari Aster | 2018
When Ellen, the matriarch of the Graham family, passes away, her daughter’s family begins to unravel cryptic and increasingly terrifying secrets about their ancestry. The more they discover, the more they find themselves trying to outrun the sinister fate they seem to have inherited.
Midsommar – Apr 14 – 18
Directed by Ari Aster | 2019
Dani and Christian are a young American couple with a relationship on the brink of falling apart. But after a family tragedy keeps them together, a grieving Dani invites herself to join Christian and his friends on a trip to a once-in-a-lifetime midsummer festival in a remote Swedish village. What begins as a carefree summer holiday in a land of eternal sunlight takes a sinister turn when the insular villagers invite their guests to partake in festivities that render the pastoral paradise increasingly unnerving and viscerally disturbing.
Beau is Afraid – Apr 28 – May 2
Directed by Ari Aster | 2023
Following the sudden death of his mother, a mild-mannered but anxiety-ridden man named Beau (Joaquin Phoenix) confronts his darkest fears as he embarks on an epic, Kafkaesque odyssey back home.
