Producer/director T.J. Särkkä had been looking for years for a perfect girl to play a lead in a film based on a novel by Johannes Linnankoski. Sauli was cast in the role which was only her second film.
Theater actress for over 25 years, retired in 1996.
Received her first Jussi Award nomination (Finnish Oscars) in 2010, after a film career lasting longer than 57 years.
She acted in several films in Germany as Ann Savo.
T.J. Särkkä came up with the name Sauli for her first movie Me tulemme taas (1953) which he was producing. During the same year he also directed and produced The Milkmaid (1953) which was her breakthrough to stardom.