Actor-director John Polson says he's hoping to make an Australian film next year, but he has a big Hollywood feature to do first.
"One of the reasons I am here (in Australia) this trip is to meet with the producer and the writer to discuss it further," said Polson, whose film credits include Swimfan and Hide and Seek with Robert De Niro.
"If everything goes well and we manage to get it into the shape that I'm hoping, it could be my film after Tenderness.
"It is no secret I have wanted to make a film here for five years and it just hadn't worked out."
The last Australian feature Polson directed was 1999's Siam Sunset.
That film received critical acclaim around the world and gave Polson an opening in the United States.
Now based in New York, Polson arrived in Australia on Sunday and will launch the 14th annual Sony Tropfest Film Festival in Sydney on Tuesday night.
Two new initiatives were launched on Tuesday, a feature film program and an award for women in film.
Polson founded Tropfest in 1993 with an audience of a few dozen watching one short film at its Sydney birthplace, the Tropicana Cafe in Darlinghurst.
Tropfest now attracts between 600 and 800 films each year with the 2006 entries to be submitted by January 19 with the main event held on February 26.
"I just can't believe how quickly it has gone and how incredible the event is now," Polson said.
"It has become something bigger and better than I could have ever imagined."
Polson also plans to launch the festival internationally.
"We have been doing some work and I would like to make an announcement pretty soon," he said.
The actor-director is on the lookout to cast his next feature, Tenderness, based on Emil Stern's adaptation of best-selling author Robert Cormier's teen serial killer novel.
The story follows a teenage runaway who becomes entangled with a charming serial killer her own age.
"It is a slight change of direction for me," Polson said.
"I haven't cast it yet but the two leads are young, they are probably not going to be known actors."
Polson is hoping to unearth some young Australian talent for the roles.
"Particularly the two teenage leads, I love the idea of doing a bit of a search here and seeing who is around," he said.
"I would love to extend that search to Australia."
Although premature, Polson hinted that he may get to work with De Niro again.
A small but pivotal role in Tenderness will be played by an American actor of some note, he said.
"It will be a guy in his 40s or 50s and a guy based on the East Coast (of the US)," he said.
"It is a very important role. This movie is seen through the eyes of this guy.
"Obviously with him (De Niro) there are a lot of scheduling issues to take into account but it is possible."
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