 Vaala won three Jussi Awards for directing and one for screenwriting.One of the directing awards was given jointly for "Dynamiittityttö" and "Linnaisten vihreä kamari" in 1945, the others were for "Loviisa, Niskavuoren nuori emäntä" (1946) and "Omena putoaa" (1952).He earned the lone screenwriting award with "Ihmiset suviyössä" (1946).