Ari Savonen (born 7 July 1987 in Saarijärvi) is a Finnish independent filmmaker, make-up artist, special effects artist and actor. He is best known for his work in Finnish independent film industry and horror fantasy film Backwood Madness (2025), which he directed, wrote and produced. Savonen is also an organizer of Trash and Underground Film Festival and former president of Finnish Independent Movie Association (Findie Ry).

Filmography

• 2026The Creeps - Behind the Scenes — Thanks
• 2025Backwood Madness — Corpse / Voice Actor, Story, Producer, Director, Writer, Makeup Designer
• 2025The Creeps — Creeps Leader Voice-Actor
• 2024Carnage — Mikael Lind, Producer, Story
• 2024Gravediggers — Donald
• 2024L'homme à la trottinette électrique — Lange
• 2023Detour to Father — Kalle
• 2023Natura — Special Effects Makeup Artist
• 2022Free Skate — Judge
• 2021The Return of Shitters — People in panic #3
• 2021The Return of Shitters: The Shocking Truth
• 2018Bring Me the Blood of the Werewolf — Trade Horse, Special Effects Makeup Artist, Makeup Designer
• 2018Homecoming — Makeup Artist
• 2018It Came from the Desert — Mutant in Eradicator Movie
• 2018Satan Stole Our Hot Dogs! — Hot Dog Loser
• 2018The Cold Dark — Brother Peter
• 2018Tuftland — Severi
• 2017Bandits and Bloodhounds — Cowboy, Special Effects Makeup Artist, Makeup Designer
• 2017Terminator Commando — Cannon Fodder, Makeup Designer, Special Effects Makeup Artist
• 2016Jari's Odyssey — Ari Savonen, Associate Producer
• 2016The Defiler — Guard #1
• 2015Bunny the Killer Thing — Man with a Orange Mask, Production Design
• 2014L4ST — Infected, Makeup Artist
• 2014The Champions of Space — Jazz Junkie, Special Effects Makeup Artist
• Kaverukset — Special Effects Makeup Artist
• Wild Duck — Repe, Co-Producer
• Years of Madness: The Making of 'Backwood Madness' — Self, Producer

Appearances as themselves (3)

• 2024(Pri)sons: Making of — Self
• 2023How We Made Free Skate — Self
• 2018From Stage to Screen: Kyrsyä - Tuftland — Self