ABOUT
Charles Williams is an acclaimed Australian film director, writer, and producer; winner of more than 60 international awards, including Cannes Film Festival's short film Palme d'Or.
His films have screened at more than 200 film festivals, including Cannes Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, Clermont-Ferrand, SXSW, Telluride, Tribeca, Rotterdam, Slamdance, Tampere, Busan, MIFF and Sydney Film Festival among others. They have also sold globally, including to Netflix and The Criterion Collection.
In 2025, his debut feature 'INSIDE' starring Guy Pearce, Cosmo Jarvis and Vincent Miller was released theatrically in Australia and the US to critical acclaim. It was awarded Best Original Screenplay at the Australian Writers’ Guild Awards as well as Best Film, Best Lead Actor, Best Screenplay and Best Director at the Film Critics Circle of Australia.
Charles is an alumnus of TIFF’s Filmmaker Lab, the Golden Globes Film Independent Filmmaker Residency, a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences® (Oscars) and the founder of production company Simpatico.
SELECTED AWARDS
Film Critics Circle of Australia, 2026 – Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay
Auscritics Awards, 2026 – Best Film, Best Screenplay
Australian Writers Guild Awards, 2025 – Best Original Feature Screenplay
NSW Literary Awards, 2025 – Betty Roland Prize for Scriptwriting
Hong Kong International Film Festival, 2019 – Firebird Award (Grand Prize)
Cinema In Sneakers International Film Festival for Children and Youth, 2019 – Best Youth Short Film
Civitanova Film Festival, 2019 – Best Screenplay, Best Direction
Sydney Film Festival, 2019 – Dendy Award for Best Live Action Short, Rouben Mamoulian Award for Best Director
Cannes Film Festival, 2018 – Short Film Palme d'Or
Australian Academy Award (AACTA), 2018 – Best Short Film 
Melbourne International Film Festival, 2018 – Best Australian Short Film
Tirana International Film Festival, 2018 – Best Short Fiction Film
Kurzfilmtage Winterthur, 2018 – Best Film Youth Competition 12+
Festival Du Grain à Démoudre, 2018 – Best Short Film
NDU International Film Festival, 2018 – Best Short Fiction Film
2ANNAS Riga International Film Festival, 2018 – Best Short Fiction Film
Soria International Film Festival, 2018 – Best Screenplay
Black Canvas International Film Festival, 2018 – Best Screenplay
Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival, 2015 – Best Australian Film
Slamdance Film Festival, 2007 – Best Narrative Short
Tropfest, 2002 – Best Young Director
Full List