Photo: Kiefer Lee
Alla andra kan dra åt helvete
- 2025
- Drama
Daniel Sawka
Daniel Sawka is a writer/director with international experience, working on projects in both the US and in Sweden.
Sawka graduated with an MFA in film directing at the AFI Conservatory in Los Angeles where he received the school’s Franklin J. Schaffner Fellow Award upon graduating in 2016. Sawka’s thesis short film Icebox went on to become shortlisted (final 10) for the 2018 Academy Awards in the short film category, won the Grand Jury Award at AFI Fest and was shown at prestigious festivals such as Telluride and Clermont-Ferrand.
Sawka then started working with multiple Academy Award winner James L. Brooks (Terms of Endearment, As Good As It Gets, The Simpsons) and his production company Gracie Films. This collaboration resulted in the adaptation of Icebox into a feature film, written and directed by Sawka. The film, distributed by HBO, premiered in December 2018, receiving critical acclaim. Icebox was nominated for a Critic’s Choice Award, won the Cinema Without Borders Award, the NAMIC Vision Award and several categories of the Imagine Awards. The collaboration with James L. Brooks and Gracie Films continued in 2019 with the development of another project.
Currently, Sawka is collaborating with Anagram on his first Swedish feature film, and he is head-writer of the coming thriller series Jana – Marked For Life. The series is an adaptation of Emelie Schepp’s bestselling novel of the same name.
Awards
| Critic's Choice Awards Nominee (Best Movie Made for TV) US – Icebox | 2019 |
| NAMIC Vision Awards (Best Original Movie) US – Icebox | 2019 |
| Imagen Foundation Awards (Best PrimeTime Program - Specials, Movies & Limited Series) US – Icebox | 2019 |
| Cinema Without Borders (Bridging the Border Award ) US – Icebox | 2019 |
| Academy Awards Shortlist (Best Live Action Short Film) US – Icebox | 2018 |
| AFI Fest (Grand Jury Prize) US – Icebox | 2016 |
| Seattle International Film Festival Nominee (Best Short Film) US – Icebox | 2016 |
| AFI Conservatory (Franklin J. Shaffner Award) US | 2016 |
PRINT CV
Known for
Filmography
Related news
Photo: TV4/Magnus Ragnvid
‘Blinded’ returns for a third season
Blinded (Fartblinda), will return for a third season, set to premiere on TV4 Play+ April 23 and air on TV4 starting May 7. Having travelled across four continents including Europe, North America, Australia and Asia, the first two seasons received international acclaim.
The third season of the series follows Beatrice Farkas (Julia Ragnarsson) and her colleague Karim Abassi (Maxwell Cunningham) as they dig into a telecom company setting up 5G networks in the Middle East. At the same time, Karim and Bea form a close relationship, both professionally and privately.
Blinded Season 3 is directed by Jens Jonsson and Johan Lundin, and written by Jens Jonsson, Daniel Sawka and Henrik Zammel.
Actors Julia Ragnarsson and Maxwell Cunningham are joined by Arvin Kananinan, Julia Dufvenius, Albin Grenholm, Peter Eggers and Nina Mårshagen among others.
‘Alla andra kan dra åt helvete’ premieres on SVT and UR
In UR’s new drama series Alla andra kan dra åt helvete, past and present meet in a story about friendship, loyalty and dark secrets in a student dormitory. Starring Mustapha Aarab, Shayan Fagern and Simon Lööf, the series depicts the mental state of young men during a vulnerable time, and is created by Andreas Öhman and Daniel Sawka.
Alla andra kan dra åt helvete is available for streaming on UR Play and SVT Play, and airs on SVT1 on Sundays.
Photo: Johan Paulin / Viaplay
Cast released for ‘Jana – Marked For Life’
The star-studded cast has been announced for the much-anticipated thriller series Jana – Marked For Life. Madeleine Martin will portray Jana Berzelius, and is joined by castmates Johan Ulveson, Pernilla August, Moa Gammel, Sigrid Johnson and Suzanne Reuter.
The six episodes are created and directed by Henrik Björn and Felix Herngren. Daniel Sawka is head-writer together with Maria Karlsson.
The series is an adaptation of Emelie Schepp’s bestselling novel of the same name, and it will premiere on Viaplay in the autumn 2023.
Photo: Kiefer Lee, Matthias Ahlm/SR
Thriller series ’Jana – Marked For Life’ to premiere on Viaplay 2023
It is now official that the new thriller series Jana – Marked For Life will premiere on Viaplay in autumn 2023. The six episodes are created and will be directed by Henrik Björn (Jordskott) and Felix Herngren, and Daniel Sawka (Icebox) is head writer together with Maria Karlsson.
The story will revolve around the prosecutor Jana who we encounter during an investigation into the murder of a high-ranking official at the Swedish Migration Agency. But when the main suspect is found dead, Jana recognizes something familiar on his scarred body from her own past. In order to understand and deal with her troubled past, Jana must find the killer before the police does.
The series is an adaptation of Emelie Schepp’s bestselling novel Jana – Marked For Life and will be produced by FLX.
Photo: Kiefer Lee
Daniel Sawka joins Salomonsson Agency
Daniel Sawka is a writer/director with international experience, working on projects in both the US and in Sweden.
Sawka graduated with an MFA in film directing at the AFI Conservatory in Los Angeles, where he received the school’s Franklin J. Schaffner Fellow Award for ‘Best Film’ upon graduating in 2016. Sawka’s thesis short film, Icebox, went on to become shortlisted (final 10) for the 2018 Academy Awards in the short film category and won the Grand Jury Award at AFI Fest.
Sawka then started working with multiple Academy Award winner James L. Brooks (Terms of Endearment, As Good As It Gets, The Simpsons) and his production company Gracie Films. This collaboration resulted in the adaptation of Icebox into a feature film, written and directed by Sawka. The film, distributed by HBO, premiered in December 2018, receiving critical acclaim. Icebox was nominated for a Critics’ Choice Award, won the Cinema Without Borders Award and the NAMIC Vision Award. The collaboration with James L. Brooks and Gracie Films continued in 2019 with the development of another project, soon to be announced.
Currently, Sawka is collaborating with Anagram on his first Swedish feature film, and writing a TV-series for Blackpills Entertainment, which he is also attached to direct.