Hi °C | Lo °C 
Belfast actress Alana Kerr will be keeping a close eye on the big screen when the new Heather Graham movie is premiered in Belfast this month.
The 24-year-old from Finaghy will be studying the picture to see if she can recognise her hands or legs in the quirky comedy Buy, Borrow, Steal.
For Alana acted as Ms Graham's body double in the film, as well as landing a small speaking part.
Buy, Borrow, Steal will be the closing movie of the 8th Jameson Belfast Film Festival, running from April 10-19.
And Alana is looking forward to seeing her big screen debut.
"I auditioned for a bit part in the movie but when the director saw my photograph he thought I bore a resemblance to Heather Graham and asked me to be her stand-in," she said.
"For eight weeks I was a member of the crew, standing in for Heather when she was resting or relaxing.
"If they wanted to get the lighting right, or the sound, or fix up the best possible angle, they got me in. I was on set all the time, six days a week, 12 hours a day.
"They also did close-ups of my hands and legs so I'll be watching the movie carefully to see if I can spot them.
"It was a very exciting experience and it's not every day you can say that you got to play Heather Graham's body double."
Alana, who moved back to Belfast a year ago after studying drama at Trinity, said she didn't get to work with Heather too much.
But she met the actress off set and said that she was lovely.
"Because of the way it worked - when Heather wasn't around, I stood in - it meant we didn't get to work together," she said.
"But we did catch up quite a bit after and she was so much fun. She didn't take herself seriously and all the crew loved her."
Alana said the experience had been a worthwhile one for her and that she would take away many fond memories from it.
"It was such a learning curve for me, not just in terms of acting, but the whole process.
"You learn how to cope with the long hours and so many people on set.
"I'm really glad I did it and it's definitely helped me make my mind up that I really want to do more films."
Alana makes another debut this weekend - as a puppeteer in the new children's programme, Sesame Tree.
"I had no training as a puppeteer before I went for this, but I would have been happy to pay for the training if I'd had to," she said.
"It was great fun to be involved with the show and was too good an opportunity to turn down.
"As well as the puppetry, I've done theatre, pantomime and Shakespeare, but what I really want more than anything is to get into movies.
"If I ever get the chance I'd love to work with Johnny Depp or Leonardo Di Caprio."
The Belfast Film Festival runs from April 10-19. For tickets, log onto www.belfastfilmfestival.org .
