William Duan (he/they) is an award-winning filmmaker based in Naarm (Melbourne), Australia. As a queer Chinese-Australian, they are inspired by stories heralding from other queer and cultural diasporas - particularly those from Asian voices.

Their first foray into film was an art film, Pensato Panoply (2014), which premiered at the Centre Pompidou in Paris after being selected by a panel including Alejandro Jodorowsky, Dries Van Noten & Diane Pernet. Most recently, they have embarked on writing-directing their first narrative short film,《推拿》Tuī Ná, which recently had its world premiere at the 70th Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF 2022) as a part of the prestigious Accelerator Lab program, after winning Queer Screen’s Pitch Off competition. The film has gone on to win Best Film at the 30th Mardi Gras Film Festival at Sydney WorldPride, as well as being nominated for Best Direction in a Short Film by the Australian Directors Guild.

They are most known for their work as a producer specialising in narrative film & arts films. Some notable works include Mestiza (dir. Ranima Montes) which premiered at the 67th Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF 2018), as well as Yaz Queens (2022), which was commissioned by ABC ME with support from Screen Australia. In 2017, William produced their first micro-budget feature film Daydreams (dir. Jim Muntisov). They have also worked for brands like Campari, Melbourne International Film Festival, Multicultural Museums Victoria & RISING Arts Festival.

In 2021, William was selected as a Screen Producers Australia ‘Ones To Watch’, and in 2023 were invited as one of 13 filmmakers nationwide to participate in Sydney Film Festival’s pioneer incubator lab program ‘Platform’. They currently have a number of projects in the works, including a feature film based on the《推拿》Tuī Ná short film, as well as another feature with long-time collaborator Lara Köse.

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I live and work on the stolen country of the Wurundjeri & Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. I acknowledge and am in awe of the vast history of storytelling that came before me, and pay my respects to Elders past, present & emerging.

Sovereignty was never ceded.