Returning to Australia in 1997, Tayshus wrote and starred in a short film titled "Intolerance". At Tropfest in 1998, the film won the award for Best Film and Tayshus won Best Actor. INTOLERANCE had been entered in competition under the name of a fictitious feminist filmmaker, Laura Feinstein. When the film won, the boss of Tropfest, John Polson, announced that the Top prize had finally been won by a woman. When the director, Paul Fenech jumped up to claim the award, to everyone's surprise, saying there was no Laura Feinstein, it created great controversy.