Guillaume Dustan


Guillaume Dustan, born William Baranès, was an openly gay French writer.

Biography

William Baranès was born in 1965. He graduated from the École nationale d'administration and worked as an administrative judge before turning to writing. He used the nom de plume Guillaume Dustan from 1995 onwards. His first novel, Dans ma chambre, brought him fame. His work has been compared to Renaud Camus, Marguerite Duras, Hervé Guibert, Celine's Journey to the End of the Night, Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night, and Bret Easton Ellis.
He also edited Le Rayon Gay, a collection of books, for Balland.
He was a short film producer. Some of his films include Nous and Back.
He acted in the 2004 film Process written & directed by C. S. Leigh playing the employee who checks Béatrice Dalle into the hotel where she will take her own life. The film also stars Guillaume Depardieu.
He was a proponent of barebacking and at loggerheads with ACT UP.
Baranès died of an accidental drug overdose on October 3, 2005. He is buried in Montparnasse Cemetery.

Reedition