Olle Hellbom

A respected and influential writer, director, and producer, Swedish filmmaker Olle Hellbom made his mark adapting the stories of author Astrid Lindgren, most notably the "Pippi Longstocking" series. Hellbom traveled around Europe extensively in his youth and studied film in London, where he had the chance to visit the set of David Lean's 1945 production of "Great Expectations." Pursuing his own cinematic dreams, Hellbom spent the '50s writing feature scripts as well as working on short films and commercials. As the '60s approached, he forged an enduring relationship with writer Astrid Lindgren and producer Olle Nordemar that led to a string of films based on the works of Lindgren, with "The Children of Bullerby Village" being an early success. Subsequent projects included a run of "Pippi Longstocking" films, featuring the impetuous young girl with the recognizable red pigtails and her many adventures. Hellbom also directed such Lindgren stories as "Karlsson on the Roof," "Emil of Lönneberga" (as a TV series), and "The Brothers Lionheart," the latter showing a complexity of characters and earning Hellbom a Guldbagge (Swedish Oscar) for his direction. Though some have dismissed Hellbom's films as largely children's fare, various Swedish directors, including Lasse Hallström ("My Life as a Dog"), have noted his influence upon their work.