Sawandi Groskind was born on 1 March 1984 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He is a director and writer, whose films often reflect on themes of spirituality, rural existence, and poverty. His grandfather, Werner Härmälä (1921- 2019), taught him purmodialekt, a Swedish dialect spoken in Finland.

After premiering at the Locarno Film Festival, his latest short film Where to Land, traveled to the Hamburg International Short Film Festival (where it received the Deframed Award), Festival Internazionale Segni della Notte, Black Canvas Contemporary Film Festival, and Riga International Film Festival among others. It was awarded in domestic Film Festivals, winning the Main Prize, at Tampere Film Festival and the Uusi Aalto Award at Helsinki International Film Festival. He is currently developing his directorial debut Skarpnabba with Kenno Filmi.

Filmography

Here Before (2015), How to Approach a Giant Hole (2018), Where to Land (2020), XXL (co-director, 2024), Skarpnabba (in development)