EXCLUSIVE: Hong Kong star Ekin Cheng and fast-rising actress Natalie Hsu are set to obtain honorary awards on the New York Asian Movie Pageant (NYAFF) subsequent month.
Acclaimed actor and singer Cheng will settle for the Star Asia Award on July 14, honouring almost 4 many years on display, whereas Hsu will obtain the Display screen Worldwide Rising Star Award on July 12, recognising a string of roles in latest main movies.
Each most not too long ago starred in Jill Leung’s romantic fantasy drama Final Track For You, which obtained seven nominations on the Hong Kong Movie Awards together with a finest actress nod for Hsu and can obtain its North America premiere at NYAFF.
The competition may even host a 35mm screening of Younger And Harmful, Andrew Lau’s 1996 cult traditional that shot Cheng to stardom and launched a six-part franchise.
Since then, Cheng has starred in additional than 60 movies reminiscent of fantasy epics The Storm Riders and A Man Known as Hero, romantic comedies together with My Spouse Is eighteen and darkish thrillers like Rule Quantity One, for which he gained finest actor at Bucheon Worldwide Unbelievable Movie Pageant. He’ll subsequent be seen in Taiwan drama collection The Web Celeb from the producers of Netflix’s Gentle The Evening.
“Ekin Cheng belongs to that uncommon class of actors who haven’t solely formed movies however eras and tradition,” stated NYAFF president Samuel Jamier, “This award recognises a physique of labor that has stayed important, resonant, and deeply attuned to the instances. What’s exceptional isn’t just the longevity, however the quiet reinvention.”
Hong Kong actress Hsu may even journey to New York to simply accept the Display screen Worldwide Rising Star Award, marking her meteoric ascent following her debut in musical comedy The Day We Lit Up The Sky in 2021.
She has since taken roles in commercially and critically acclaimed titles starting from Sasha Chuk’s household drama Fly Me To The Moon and catastrophe thriller Cesium Fallout, starring Andy Lau, to Nick Cheung’s psychological horror Peg O’ My Coronary heart, Dante Lam’s motion thriller Bursting Level and fantasy drama Final Track For You.
Considered one of Hsu’s most up-to-date performances was in Pavane For An Toddler by Malaysia’s Chong Keat-Aun, which premiered at Tokyo and opened Hong Kong Worldwide Movie Pageant in April. The social drama will obtain its North America premiere at NYAFF. She is going to reunite with director Chong for upcoming drama Mom Bhumi, which stars Fan Bingbing.
“Natalie represents the brand new technology of Hong Kong expertise: fearless in style decisions, and possessing that uncommon mixture of technical talent and emotional authenticity,” stated Jamier. “Her fast rise from teenage debut to main woman demonstrates the sort of inventive evolution we have fun with this award.”
The 24th NYAFF is ready to run from July 11-27, offered in collaboration with Movie at Lincoln Middle.