Jet-lagged but delighted, former University of Ballarat performing arts student Natalie Eleftheriadis arrived home from Cannes as the first Australian to win the coveted award.

Eleftheriadis was chosen for her work in Birthday, a film she stars in and produced. The best actor award is one of four major awards presented at the festival.

Her success follows that of Ballarat-born filmmaker Michael Rowe, who took out the best first film award at the Cannes International Film Festival on Monday.

Eleftheriadis and writer and director, James Harkness, were thrilled to be accepted at Cannes, which had a record number of submissions this year.

The film is largely character-driven. The the two protagonists are a sex worker, played by Eleftheriadis and a Catholic priest, played by Travis McMahon.

It tells of social isolation in the modern world.

"It is really about people wanting to connect with other human beings and wanting to feel something," Eleftheriadis said. "Wanting to feel special for just one day."

Birthday is set for international and nationwide release later this year.