---
name: "Lasse Hallström"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/lasse-hallstrom"
fi1m_id: "lasse-hallstrom"
imdb_id: "nm0002120"
tmdb_id: 5306
wikidata_id: "Q316051"
roles: ["Director"]
born: "2 June 1946"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 65
average_as: "director"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-09-20T06:56:25.243739+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Lasse Hallström

## Identity

Lasse Hallström

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/lasse-hallstrom
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** lasse-hallstrom
- **IMDb ID:** nm0002120
- **TMDB ID:** 5306
- **Wikidata ID:** Q316051
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasse_Hallstr%C3%B6m, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q316051, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002120/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/5306

Director. Born 2 June 1946 in Stockholm, Sweden.

## Details

- **Work:** Director
- **Born:** 2 June 1946, Stockholm, Sweden
- **Active:** 1999–2009
- **Also known as:** Lars Hallström, Lasse Hallstrom
- **Frequently works with:** [Leslie Holleran](https://film.one/person/leslie-holleran.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 3 Oscar nominations
- **Average Fi1m score:** 65, as director, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 61 (1), 2000s 66 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 65 to 61 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 0 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 3, Comedy 1, Family 1, Romance 1
- **Screen time:** 6 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $288m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasse_Hallstr%C3%B6m, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q316051, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002120/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/5306

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Hachi: A Dog's Tale*](https://film.one/film/hachi-a-dogs-tale.md) (73)
- **Pluto TV:** [*The Cider House Rules*](https://film.one/film/the-cider-house-rules.md) (61)
- **Hulu:** [*Chocolat*](https://film.one/film/chocolat.md) (60)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Lasse Hallström

> Lasse Hallström is a patient, sympathetic director of actors, good at making ordinary attachments matter. We like his warmth, though the sentiment can become too insistent once he stops trusting the people on screen to move us.

In *Hachi: A Dog's Tale* (2009), Lasse Hallström lets Richard Gere grow attached to a dog and sees no need to hurry them. Parker's affection is taken seriously, without an elaborate plot to make the animal more interesting. We were moved by the pair because the time spent together makes their bond convincing. Hallström is a good director of this sort of modest drama, provided he resists the temptation to tell us how touching it all is.

His international breakthrough, *My Life as a Dog* (1985), came before the move into Hollywood features with *Once Around* (1991). *What's Eating Gilbert Grape* (1993) established his reputation for sensitive ensemble work, while *The Cider House Rules* (1999) and *Chocolat* (2000) continued his work with literary adaptations. Through that move, his interest remained in character and the things people have in common. His understated way of telling a story keeps attention on the actors rather than visual display.

Gere is well suited to this approach, giving *Hachi* a simple central performance that Hallström has the sense not to fuss over. The trouble is that the surrounding family receive so little of the same attention. They are thinly written and rarely seem to have enough to do. For a director whose strengths include ensemble work, that is a weakness worth taking seriously. We wanted more of the patience spent on the central pair to be extended to the other people.

The piano in *Hachi* is too insistent, and some of the repetition adds little to what we already understand. These are the habits that make Hallström's sentimentality frustrating: he can build a touching relationship, then keep asking us to notice it. His later Hollywood work has been criticised for settling into feel-good formulas, and here we can hear the problem as well as see it. There is still enough care in the central pairing to earn the tears. Try *Hachi* for Gere and the dog; neither needs quite so much help from the piano.

## Biography

Lasse Hallström is a Swedish film director. He began his career directing music videos, notably for ABBA, and made his feature debut in Sweden in the 1970s. His international breakthrough came with the 1985 film *My Life as a Dog*, for which he received Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Hallström has since directed numerous English-language films, including *What's Eating Gilbert Grape* (1993), *The Cider House Rules* (1999), *Chocolat* (2000) and *Hachi: A Dog's Tale* (2009). *The Cider House Rules* earned him a further Academy Award nomination for Best Director. He has also directed *Dear John* (2010), *Salmon Fishing in the Yemen* (2012) and *A Dog's Purpose* (2017).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (3)

- *Hachi: A Dog's Tale* (2009), Fi1m 73, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/hachi-a-dogs-tale.md)
- *Chocolat* (2000), Fi1m 60, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/chocolat.md)
- *The Cider House Rules* (1999), Fi1m 61, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/the-cider-house-rules.md)

## Complete filmography (49)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Map That Leads to You* (2025), Director
- *The Darkness* (2024), series, Director, Creator
- *Hilma* (2022), Director, Writer
- *ABBA: In Their Own Words* (2020), Director
- *The Nutcracker and the Four Realms* (2018), Director
- *A Dog's Purpose* (2017), Director
- *Svenska tv-historier* (2015), series, as Lasse Hallström
- *The Hundred-Foot Journey* (2014), Director
- *Safe Haven* (2013), Director
- *The Hypnotist* (2012), Director
- *Salmon Fishing in the Yemen* (2012), Director
- *Dear John* (2010), Director
- *Hachi: A Dog's Tale* (2009), Director — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/film/hachi-a-dogs-tale.md)
- *New Amsterdam* (2008), series, Director, Producer
- *The Hoax* (2006), Director
- *Open Window* (2006), Executive Producer
- *ABBA: 16 Hits* (2006), Producer
- *Casanova* (2005), Director
- *Abba - The complete studio recording* (2005), Director
- *An Unfinished Life* (2005), Director
- *ABBA: The Definitive Collection* (2002), as Guy in the 'Head Over Heels' video. (uncredited) · Director
- *The Shipping News* (2001), Director
- *Chocolat* (2000), Director — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/chocolat.md)
- *The Cider House Rules* (1999), Director — Fi1m 61, [page](https://film.one/film/the-cider-house-rules.md)
- *Lumière & Company* (1995), Director
- *Something to Talk About* (1995), Director
- *What's Eating Gilbert Grape* (1993), Director, Executive Producer
- *Once Around* (1991), Director
- *Alla vi barn i Bullerbyn* (1989), series, Director
- *More About the Children of Noisy Village* (1987), Director
- *The Children of Noisy Village* (1986), Director
- *My Life as a Dog* (1985), Director, Screenplay
- *Happy We* (1983), Director, Writer, Editor
- *Come On Then!* (1981), Director, Writer
- *Gyllene Tider: Parkliv* (1981), Director, Editor, Writer
- *The Rooster* (1981), Writer, Editor, Director
- *ABBA: Words and Music* (1981), Director of Photography
- *Father to Be* (1979), Editor, Writer, Director
- *ABBA: The Movie* (1977), Director, Editor, Writer
- *Semlons gröna dalar* (1977), series, Director
- *A Guy and a Gal* (1975), as gäst på partyt · Director, Writer
- *Pappas pojkar* (1973), series, Director
- *Det är grisens fel!* (1973), Director, Producer
- *Shall We Go to Your or My Place or Each Go Home Alone?* (1973), Writer, Director, Director of Photography
- *Pappas Pojkar* (1973), Director
- *ABBA - Definitive Collector´s Edition* (1972), series, Director
- *88-öresrevyn* (1971), Camera Operator
- *Oj - är det redan fredag?* (1970), series, Director
- *Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller*, Director

## Gallery

- ![Lasse Hallström](https://film.one/media/person/105221/gallery-6866e9addda5.jpg) Lasse Hallström — Lena_Olin_and_Lasse_Hallström.jpg: Jan Videren from Stockholm, Sweden
derivative work: RanZag (talk), CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/14/Lasse_Hallstr%C3%B6m.jpg/1280px-Lasse_Hallstr%C3%B6m.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![MIFF Career Achievement Tribute: Lasse Hallström, followed by THE HYPNOTIST at Olympia Theater at Gusman Center for the Performing Arts on March 3, 2013](https://film.one/media/person/105221/gallery-244021b2e74d.jpg) MIFF Career Achievement Tribute: Lasse Hallström, followed by THE HYPNOTIST at Olympia Theater at Gusman Center for the Performing Arts on March 3, 2013 — MiamiFilmFestival, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/Lasse_Hallstr%C3%B6m_at_2013_MIFF.jpg/1280px-Lasse_Hallstr%C3%B6m_at_2013_MIFF.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Lena Olin & Lasse Hallström (2008)](https://film.one/media/person/105221/gallery-b0ea01c913a1.jpg) Lena Olin & Lasse Hallström (2008) — Jan Videren from Stockholm, Sweden, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3f/Lena_Olin_and_Lasse_Hallstr%C3%B6m.jpg/1280px-Lena_Olin_and_Lasse_Hallstr%C3%B6m.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Lena Olin and Lasse Hallström at the Berlin International Film Festival 2013](https://film.one/media/person/105221/gallery-6e91440fd633.jpg) Lena Olin and Lasse Hallström at the Berlin International Film Festival 2013 — Avda, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/Lena_Olin_and_Lasse_Hallstr%C3%B6m_at_the_Berlin_International_Film_Festival_2013.jpg/1280px-Lena_Olin_and_Lasse_Hallstr%C3%B6m_at_the_Berlin_International_Film_Festival_2013.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Lasse Hallström](https://film.one/media/person/105221/gallery-60246661a710.jpg) Lasse Hallström — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 3 nominated

- 2000: Best Director (nominated), for *The Cider House Rules*
- 1988: Best Director (nominated), for *My Life as a Dog*
- 1988: Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (nominated), for *My Life as a Dog*

### Other awards — 2 won, 2 nominated

- Litteris et Artibus 2025: Litteris et Artibus (won)
- Guldbagge Honorary Award 2024: Guldbagge Honorary Award (won)
- European Film Award – People's Choice Award for Best European Film 2012: European Film Award – People's Choice Award for Best European Film (nominated), for *Salmon Fishing in the Yemen*
- European Film Award - People's Choice Award for Best Director 2001: European Film Award - People's Choice Award for Best Director (nominated), for *Chocolat*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/lasse-hallstrom