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.

The resulting film, a critical success, led to Aristo receiving numerous requests for screenplays, including several adaptations of novels.

[2] After graduation he worked in journalism for a while before drifting to filmmaking[4] upon the suggestion of Dedi Rakswaradana, later guitarist for the band Naff.

Several months later, after moving back to Jakarta Aristo's first screenplay, a 90-page work titled Tak Pernah Kembali Sama (Never Been the Same Again), was read by director Rudy Soedjarwo.

[2] To do so, beginning in 2002 Aristo began regularly going to Usmar Ismail Film Documentation Center in Kuningan, Jakarta, to read screenplays.

Among the works he read were several by Asrul Sani, which he found highly useful; he later recalled that the script for Kejarlah Daku Kau Kutangkap (Chase Me, I'll Catch You) was one of the best.

In the meantime, he took a job as a film reviewer for a local music magazine, which gave him greater access to the industry.

It garnered a Citra Award for Best Director at the Indonesian Film Festival for Bramantyo and a nomination for best original screenplay for Aristo.

[2] After these successes, at the end of 2006 Bramantyo asked Aristo and his wife, screenwriter Gina S. Noer, to adapt the novel Ayat-Ayat Cinta (Verses of Love) by Habiburrahman El Shirazy, into a film.

[8] That same year, Aristo was a juror at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, held in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.