...Ward stars alongside Toni Collette and Rhys Wakefield as teenager Jackie Masters, whose new boyfriend Thomas is struggling to cope with his autistic brother, Charlie.
It is the first feature film for director Elissa Down, who says she wrote the part of Jackie with fellow Perth girl Ward in mind.
"I've worked with her before and I knew her as a young actress, and then she fell into modelling and got herself famous, bless her cotton socks,'' Down said. "I think she's such a natural and intuitive and giving actor. She's brilliant.
"I think everyone's got this opinion that she's going to suck, but would you put someone who couldn't act next to Toni Collette? It would be stupid.
"So I think everyone's going to be surprised when they see her if they've got that opinion of her.''
..
While it's not released in Australia until March next year, the film was this week selected to screen at the Berlin International Film Festival in February.
The Black Balloon's producer, Tristam Miall, said the cast and crew were thrilled the film would have its world premiere in Berlin.
"Berlin is very important to us, '' he said.
