The star director and writer of the Oscar-nominated film Two Cars One Night is looking for the cast of his new feature film.

Taika Waititi's new film The Volcano is about a young boy's coming of age on the East Coast in the 1980s.

Producer Ainsley Gardiner says the new film will begin shooting late next year. She says The Volcano is loosely based on Waititi's critically acclaimed short film. Gardiner says the characters and story are different but it has definitely come about because of Two Cars, One Night.

Casting sessions will be held in Rotorua, Whakatane and Gisborne over the next two weeks.