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Belle Barber and Linden Kirkby talk about Nell as if she were their newborn. And she is - in a way.

The animators of Nell the Narcoleptic can't help going all starry-eyed when they talk about their new film creation. She's inspired them to set up their own business.

Nell is an ordinary girl with an uncommon affliction: she falls asleep at unexpected times. By placing her in control of things that require constant attention, this 3-D animation shows her narrowly escaping disaster, and even death, every day. Through it all she remains a happy-go-lucky girl with a Cheshire cat smile.

The Titirangi duo say the initial idea was to make an animated short film based on a unique character.

"It was Belle that came up with a character that keeps falling asleep," says Kirkby. But both acknowledge Nell started off as a boy, Nigel.

"We changed him to Nell because he just didn't look as interesting," says Barber. "Once we established that she would have eight pony tails with a recognisable silhouette we knew we were onto a good thing."

The animators are particularly chuffed by their film's selection for the 2010 New Zealand International Film Festival.

"We were at the end of our production when we noticed the festival submission deadline was a week away," says Kirkby. "We couldn't be more pleased to have made it, especially since it's our first attempt."

They believe so strongly in Nell the Narcoleptic they've quit their day jobs to concentrate on making a sequel.

Kirkby adds: "We recently moved to Titirangi so that we can focus. Getting into the festival just reaffirms our decision to go out on our own."

Nell the Narcoleptic, in Homegrown: Quirky Stories, 2010 NZ International Film Festival, Academy Cinemas, Central Library Bdg, 44 Lorne St, July 22, 6pm and July 23, 11.15am. Tickets: ph 0800 842 538 or see www.ticketek.co.nz

What is it?

Narcolepsy is a condition of unknown cause characterised by sudden, uncontrollable attacks of sleep or muscle weakness, hallucinations and sleep paralysis. www.med.monash.edu.au