Finnish box office smash Ambush, directed by Olli Saarela, swept seven of the Finnish Film Awards - the Jussi - last weekend taking prizes for best film, direction and cinematography as well as editing, music, sound and set design.

The film, produced by Marko Rohr and Ilkka Matila for MRP Productions, was written by director Saarela with author Antti Tuuri based on his novel which takes place in the first days of the Second World War in Russian Karelia.

Ambush was released theatrically in Finland last year and became the biggest domestic success of the 1990s. Director Saarela won Jussi awards for best film and script for his first feature The Redemption in 1997.

Finland's official selection for the Oscars, director Aleksi Makela's The Tough Ones (Hajyt), didn't go home empty-handed, taking both the audience prize and a best supporting actor award for Kalevi Haapoja.

The best actor prize went to Martti Suosalo for Timo Koivusalo's The Swan And The Wanderer while both best actress awards went to Veikko Aaltonen's Kiss Me in the Rain (Maire) for Eeva Litmanen (best actress) and Minna Haapkyla (best supporting actress).