Press Release | 2023.03.06

The 16th Asian Film Awards Announces Guest Lineup
Actor JI Chang-wook to Receive the AFA Next Generation Award!

Organized by the Asian Film Awards Academy, the Asian Film Awards presents the best of Asian films on a global stage. After being held in Busan, South Korea for the past two editions, the Asian Film Awards will return to Hong Kong for its 16th edition with support from Create Hong Kong and Film Development Fund on March 12th at Hong Kong Palace Museum.

Internationally Renowned Filmmakers to Gather Under One Roof!

This year, the Academy has put together a star-studded guest list of nominees and presenters. They include internationally renowned filmmakers ZHANG Yimou, KORE-EDA Hirokazu, HAMAGUCHI Ryusuke, Lav DIAZ, Darezhan OMIRBAEV, Peter CHAN Ho Sun and Anthony CHEN; star actors Sammo HUNG, ABE Hiroshi, Carina LAU, Sandra NG, Dodo CHENG, NISHIJIMA Hidetoshi, PARK Hae-il, SUZUKI Ryohei, ZHANG Yi, Happy SALMA, JI Chang-wook and Chrissie CHAU; film industry veterans YUEN Woo Ping, MAN Lim Chung and Tina LAU; emerging filmmakers Davy CHOU, HAYAKAWA Chie, KIM Se-in, Jigme Trinley, Feng-I Fiona ROAN and HO Cheuk Tin; rising stars YIM Si-wan, OKADA Masaki, MIYAZAWA Hio, LIN Bo Hong, Vivian SUNG, Gingle WANG, Louise WONG, Angela YUEN; as well as Edan LUI, Anson LO, Lokman YEUNG and Stanley YAU. The best and brightest individuals of the Asian film industries will gather in Hong Kong to witness this grand event.

 

In recent years, multiple Asian films have shined on the global stage. Such success is reflected in the 16th Asian Film Awards’ nomination list, featuring 30 films from 22 countries and regions competing for 16 awards. Some of the largest figures in Asian cinema, many of the nominees will be attending this year’s ceremony to represent their respective films.

 

Nominated for eight awards, Japanese film Drive My Car will be represented by Best Director nominee HAMAGUCHI Ryusuke, Best Actor nominee NISHIJIMA Hidetoshi, Best Supporting Actor nominee OKADA Masaki, Best Screenplay nominee OE Takamasa and Best Original Music nominee ISHIBASHI Eiko. Fellow Best Film nominee Decision to Leave from South Korea will be represented by Best Actor nominee PARK Hae-il, Best Production Design nominee RYU Seong-hie and Best Original Music nominee CHO Young-wuk. Best Director nominee Darezhan OMIRBAYEV will attend to represent Kazakh drama Poet, which is also nominated for Best Film. Best Actor nominees Iran’s Mohsen TANABANDEH and China’s ZHANG Yi will also attend to represent nominated films World War III and Home Coming, respectively. Return to Seoul (France, Germany, Belgium, Cambodia, Qatar) will be represented by Best Director nominee Davy CHOU, Best Supporting Actor nominee OH Kwang-rok, Best Newcomer nominee PARK Ji-min and Best Editing nominee Dounia SICHOV.

 

Other nominated filmmakers attending include: Japan’s KORE-EDA Hirokazu, nominated for Best Director with South Korea’s Broker; Lav DIAZ, nominated for Best Director with When the Waves Are Gone, which is also a Best Film nominee; Before, Now & Then Best Actress nominee Happy SALMA; SUZUKI Ryohei and MIYAZAWA Hio, nominated for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, respectively, for Egoist; and YIM Si-wan, Best Supporting Actor nominee for Emergency Declaration.

Well-known Actors to Receive Honorary Awards

Winner of the AFA Next Generation Award Announced

The Academy established honorary awards to recognize outstanding Asian filmmakers who contributed to the Asian film industry. After announcing Hong Kong martial arts star Sammo HUNG as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award and Japanese star ABE Hiroshi as the recipient of the Excellence in Asian Cinema Award, the Academy announced today that the AFA Next Generation Award for the 16th edition will be given to JI Chang-wook in recognition of his career achievements. He will come to Hong Kong to attend the award ceremony and share his joy with his peers.

 

Majoring in Film in university, South Korea’s JI Chang-wook has acted in numerous hit TV series since making his debut in 2008. His popularity and acclaimed performances have brought him praise from audiences in South Korea and abroad. TV series Healer, which Ji starred in, was an enormous hit with audiences across Asia. In addition to the Popular Actor award at the KBS Drama Awards, the series also earned him the Most Popular Actor (Overseas) award at the China TV Drama Awards, proving his appeal across Asia. In recent years, JI has also acted in films. As the lead in Fabricated City, he dominated the screen as the small-time hero, showing off his hard work in the incredible fight scenes.

 

To be held on March 12th at Hong Kong Palace Museum, the 16th Asian Film Awards will be broadcast simultaneously on the internet at 8:45pm (KST) for fans everywhere. The ceremony will also be broadcast live on AFAA’s YouTube channel and Naver from South Korea. The Academy will also be streaming the red carpet ceremony on its YouTube channel starting at 6pm (KST). Fans and audiences can witness all the glitz and glamour and witness the winners’ joy in real time. To get the latest news of the 16th Asian Film Awards, please visit AFAA’s social platforms.


📣 The 16th Asian Film Awards Ceremony

 - Date: March 12th, 2023 (Sunday) 

 - Venue: HKJC Auditorium, Hong Kong Palace Museum 

Asian Film Awards Academy📣

 

The Asian Film Awards Academy, a non-profit organization, was founded by Busan, Hong Kong and Tokyo International Film Festivals to celebrate excellence in Asian cinema. Aiming to promote and recognize Asian films and their talents, AFAA highlights, strengthens and develops the Asian film industry through the annual Asian Film Awards and several year-round initiatives.

 

The Asian Film Awards was inaugurated in 2007, where members of AFAA are drawn from its past nominees and winners. The category of awards includes Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress. Members vote for the Asian Film Awards and participate in various AFAA activities involving film professionals and audiences worldwide.
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