Salman Aristo

Salman Aristo (born 1976) is an Indonesian screenwriter and film director best known for his work on Ayat-Ayat Cinta, Laskar Pelangi, Garuda di Dadaku, and Sang Penari. Born in Jakarta, Aristo became interested in films from a young age, though he did not consider a career in the industry until after graduating from university. At the suggestion of a friend, he wrote his first screenplay, Tak Pernah Kembali Sama. With feedback on the script from director Rudy Soedjarwo and after a period reading old, successful scripts, Aristo – at the time a film reviewer for a magazine – was able to befriend Hanung Bramantyo, who asked him to write a script about brownies. The resulting film, a critical success, led to Aristo receiving numerous requests for screenplays, including several adaptations of novels. In 2010, he released his directorial debut, Jakarta Maghrib. Aristo, who is married to fellow screenwriter Gina S. Noer, is influenced by several Western and Indonesian screenwriters, including Woody Allen, Robert Altman, Richard Linklater, Richard Curtis, Arifin C. Noer, and Asrul Sani. He has been nominated for three Citra Awards for screenwriting, although he has yet to win.