Per Åhlin

Directing

Per Åhlin

Born 1931-08-07 · Hofors, Gävleborgs län, Sweden

Per Johan Axel Åhlin (7 August 1931 – 1 May 2023) was a Swedish artist and director of animated films. He is known for his collaborations with the comedy duo Hasse & Tage and for his own projects such as the animated short film and television film Sagan om Karl-Bertil Jonssons julafton and the feature film Voyage to Melonia. Åhlin started his career as an artist for the Hasse & Tage production Svenska bilder from 1964. After that he worked on several other Hasse & Tage films, including the largely animated Out of an Old Man's Head from 1968, and The Adventures of Picasso from 1978, where he provided and animated Picasso's paintings. In 1970 he started his own animation studio, PennFilm Studio AB situated in Hököpinge, and directed many feature-length films and several shorts, including Sagan om Karl-Bertil Jonssons julafton which is shown on television every Christmas Eve in Sweden, Norway, and Finland. In 1975 at the 11th Guldbagge Awards, Åhlin won a special achievement award for Dunderklumpen!. In 1990 at the 25th Guldbagge Awards he won the Creative Achievement award. Although eventually best known for his work on children's film, Åhlin was always more interested in films for adult audiences. He has commented on the difficulties of making animated films with adult themes: "I don't know whether the problem lies in the audience or the marketing. But think like this: if you draw like Picasso, Doré or Sergel, then those are images that have no connection to film. If they then would be animated and suddenly started to move – would they become children's film then? I can't understand this!" Åhlin died on 1 May 2023, at age 91.

Acting credits

Behind the camera

Little Anna and the Tall Uncle poster
7.0

No two friends are more different than Little Anna and the Tall Uncle. She is short, he is very tall. Little Anna is brave, the Tall Uncle is a scared cat. And yet there is nobody who Little Anna would rather go swimming with, build a tree house with or ride a motorcycle with than the Tall Uncle. And there is nobody the Tall Uncle would rather bake a yummy cake for than his best friend Little Anna.

Little Anna and the Tall Uncle

2012

The Journey to Melonia poster
6.6

When a ship sinks during a storm, a slave from the industrial island of Plutonia is washed up on the beaches of paradise island Melonia, where the "all-powerful" wizard Prospero and his strange friends reside.

The Journey to Melonia

1989

The Journey to Melonia poster
6.6

When a ship sinks during a storm, a slave from the industrial island of Plutonia is washed up on the beaches of paradise island Melonia, where the "all-powerful" wizard Prospero and his strange friends reside.

The Journey to Melonia

1989

Hoffmann's Eyes poster
NR

A retelling of E.T.A Hoffmann's gothic story "The Sandman" and the opera "Tales of Hoffmann", ever since childhood, Hoffmann has been haunted by The Sandman and believed that a visitor to his father was really The Sandman, while traveling to Veneice he encounters a strange glass vendor who reappears through out his life. This film was never completed.

Hoffmann's Eyes

1993

Dunderklumpen! poster
6.5

Dunderklumpen lives all alone in the mountains of Jämtland. One Midsummer's Eve when he feels very lonely he sets off on a journey to find friends.

Dunderklumpen!

1974

The Dog Hotel poster
7.0

On their way to find Paris, Sture the dog (Hasse Alfredsson) and his friend Picasso end up on a hotel in the middle of nowhere. Along with Miss Mops, Sture tries to sniff out who is causing all the strange events of the hotel.

The Dog Hotel

2000

The Dog Hotel poster
7.0

On their way to find Paris, Sture the dog (Hasse Alfredsson) and his friend Picasso end up on a hotel in the middle of nowhere. Along with Miss Mops, Sture tries to sniff out who is causing all the strange events of the hotel.

The Dog Hotel

2000

Blommig falukorv poster
NR

A film based on book and record by Hans Alfredson.

Blommig falukorv

1984

That Boy Emil poster
4.5

‘E-e-emil!’ shouts father across the small farm in Katthult, the boy is up to his old tricks and will have to be banished to the woodshed. Except that Emil doesn’t see this as punishment – on the contrary: he locks the door from inside so that he can continue undisturbed to carve another of his wooden figures, of which he has a whole collection. His little sister Ida also wants to sit inside the shed, but she’s too well-behaved. This new adaptation of Astrid Lindgren’s beloved tales from her book ‘Emil of Lönneberga’ portrays the sunny side of life in the country at the beginning of the twentieth century.

That Boy Emil

2013

Lilla Spöket Laban: Bullar och Bång poster
3.2

For the fourth time, it's ghost day again at Gomorronsol Castle, where we follow Little Ghost Laban, the kindest ghost in the world who is afraid of the dark. Together with Little Prince Bus and Labolina, many super scary adventures await Laban.

Lilla Spöket Laban: Bullar och Bång

2009

Lilla Spöket Laban: Världens snällaste spöke poster
4.0

Laban and Bus are playing soccer. Laban is the goalkeeper. A hard shot from Bus flies past Laban and into the darkest tower. Ouch! Laban has to retrieve it. He is so afraid of the dark. Inside the tower, something whizzes by and Laban lets out a terrible scream as he rushes out. On his head is a small furry bundle. Bus carefully removes it and places the little tangled bundle in Laban's hands. It slowly unfolds itself. It's a baby bat! Taking care of a little bat isn't so easy; no matter what they do, the little creature doesn't look very happy. But then they come up with something they have to try, even though it means staying out in the middle of the night.

Lilla Spöket Laban: Världens snällaste spöke

2008

Lilla Spöket Laban: Spökdags poster
4.0

The little ghost called Laban is afraid of the dark.

Lilla Spöket Laban: Spökdags

2007

Var är Bus-Alfons? poster
NR

A Swedish animated family film based on Gunilla Bergström's beloved children's book character.

Var är Bus-Alfons?

2000

Alfons & Milla poster
4.5

Alfons finds a new companion, Viktor, and Mållgan disappears. Just tie Alfons! Alfons has learned to tie knots and tangles properly.

Alfons & Milla

1998

Vem spökar Alfons Åberg? poster
3.8

Alfons knows that there are no ghosts or monsters, but if there were, they would certainly appear when you are alone and it is dark!

Vem spökar Alfons Åberg?

1982

Laban the Little Ghost poster
6.5

Daddy Ghost gets ready for a night of ghost work. He shows Laban his scariest ghostly haunts. The little ghost wants to sound scary, but no matter how hard he tries, he sounds cute. The problem is that Laban is scared himself when he walks through the dark corridors.

Laban the Little Ghost

2006

Alfons och pappa Åberg poster
NR

A Swedish animated family film based on Gunilla Bergström's beloved children's book character.

Alfons och pappa Åberg

1999

Raska på Alfons Åberg poster
4.2

No synopsis available yet.

Raska på Alfons Åberg

2003

Christopher's Christmas Mission poster
7.8

"Christopher's Christmas Mission"- A tale about a boy who steals Christmas gifts from the wealthy to give to the poor people of Stockholm, while working in a post office on Christmas Eve.

Christopher's Christmas Mission

1975

Christopher's Christmas Mission poster
7.8

"Christopher's Christmas Mission"- A tale about a boy who steals Christmas gifts from the wealthy to give to the poor people of Stockholm, while working in a post office on Christmas Eve.

Christopher's Christmas Mission

1975

Out of an Old Man's Head poster
5.7

After being admitted to a residential home starts the retired bricklayer Johan to dream back to his childhood - the safe upbringing with his parents, the first love, and how he with a broken heart ran away from home, and was forced to fend for himself. How he got married, had a son, barely managed to scrape together enough money for food and shelter, the son ran away from home and his wife died.

Out of an Old Man's Head

1968

No artwork available
NR

This animated film in three acts is based on songs by Hans Alfredson. All are featured in the children's album "Blommig falukorv".

Tre blommiga falukorvar

1988

Kalas, Alfons Åberg! poster
6.0

This is Alfons Åberg. He is happy. Because yesterday was his birthday! And on Saturday there will be a party. Alfons is a clever guy and he knows how to play pranks. For over 30 years, Alfons has been a favorite of both children and parents and is constantly at the top of the libraries' lending lists.

Kalas, Alfons Åberg!

1994

God Natt Alfons Åberg poster
5.5

Alfons doesn't want to fall asleep - so he makes sure that he is awake an that his dad has a lot to manage whit him.

God Natt Alfons Åberg

1980