When Helana Sawires​ went to Sydney's Newtown High School of the Performing Arts, she was a budding drummer and Egyptian tabla player.

But that all changed when she discovered acting in year nine.

Now the little-known 24-year-old's first feature film, the romantic comedy Ali's Wedding, in which she plays a medical student, has brought her a nomination for best actress at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards. 

"It's so beautiful," Sawires said. "It's so wonderful. It's the icing on the cake for this whole experience."

Directed by Jeffrey Walker, Ali's Wedding has eight nominations including best film and best actor for Osamah Sami​, the actor-comedian whose colourfully chaotic life inspired the film.

Sawires is up against three actresses who had gruelling roles – Emma Booth was part of a serial-killing couple in Hounds of Love, Sara West played a sexual abuse survivor in Don't Tell and Teresa Palmer was a kidnapped tourist in Berlin Syndrome.​

Also up for best film are internationally acclaimed drama Lion, which leads the nominations with 12, Hounds of Love, Berlin Syndrome and coming-of-age drama Jasper Jones.

Leading the television nominations are Top of The Lake: China Girl and Blue Murder: Killer Cop with 11. 

Highlights of the nominations, announced on Monday, include tiny Sunny Pawar​ up for best actor in a feature film for playing the young Saroo Brierley in Lion; Nicole Kidman having nods for both Lion and Top of the Lake; Hugo Weaving up for both Jasper Jones and the TV series Seven Types of Ambiguity; Richard Roxburgh nominated for returning as disgraced detective Roger Rogerson in the Blue Murder sequel; and Rosehaven's Celia Pacquola​ in the running for her third consecutive AACTA Award.

While Sawires is yet to land another acting role despite the warm reception for Ali's Wedding, she has another career option in the film, theatre and events business.

"I've just gotten my dream job painting props," she says. "We've just done a bunch of corpses and coffins for Halloween."

The AACTA industry awards are on December 4 with the main awards on December 6.

AACTA AWARD NOMINATIONS

Best film

Ali's Wedding

Berlin Syndrome

Hounds Of Love

Jasper Jones

Lion

Best Direction

Ali's Wedding – Jeffrey Walker

Berlin Syndrome – Cate Shortland

Hounds Of Love – Ben Young

Lion – Garth Davis

Best Lead Actress

Emma Booth – Hounds Of Love

Teresa Palmer – Berlin Syndrome

Helana Sawires – Ali's Wedding

Sara West – Don't Tell

Best Lead Actor

Stephen Curry – Hounds Of Love

Ewen Leslie – The Butterfly Tree

Sunny Pawar – Lion

Osamah Sami – Ali's Wedding

Best Supporting Actress

Frances Duca – Ali's Wedding

Nicole Kidman – Lion

Jacqueline McKenzie – Don't Tell

Susie Porter – Hounds Of Love

Best TV Drama Series

Cleverman (ABC)

Glitch (ABC)

Janet King – Playing Advantage (ABC)

Top Of The Lake: China Girl (Foxtel/BBC First)

Wentworth (Foxtel/Showcase)

Best Telefeature or Mini-series

Blue Murder: Killer Cop (Seven Network)

Seven Types of Ambiguity (ABC)

Sunshine (SBS)

Wake in Fright (Network Ten)

Best Television Comedy Series

No Activity (Stan)

Rosehaven (ABC)

True Story With Hamish & Andy (Nine Network)

Utopia (ABC)

Best Light Entertainment Television Series

Australian Ninja Warrior (Nine Network)

Gruen (ABC)

Hard Quiz (ABC)

Julia Zemiro's Home Delivery (ABC)