The Asian Film Awards Academy has unveiled three special awards for the 19th Asian Film Awards. Zhang Ziyi will receive the Excellence in Asian Cinema Award, with Liu Haoran and Terrance Lau receiving the AFA Next Generation Award and AFA Rising Star Award, respectively. All three recipients will attend the ceremony in person.
The special awards come as the AFAA has scaled back this year’s edition in the wake of last year’s deadly Hong Kong fire, suspending competitive categories and the red carpet in favor of a format the academy described as dignified and minimalist.
Zhang, who first gained international recognition with “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” went on to appear in such landmark works of Chinese-language cinema as “Hero,” “House of Flying Daggers” and “The Grandmaster.” The AFAA credited her with expanding how women are portrayed on screen across a career that has ranged from the ingenue of “The Road Home” to martial arts warriors, the three generations of “Jasmine Women” and her recent “She’s Got No Name.”
“An award like this feels less like recognition and more like responsibility,” Zhang said. “It reminds me why I chose this path – to approach every role with sincerity and discipline.”
Liu rose to prominence with the blockbuster “Detective Chinatown” franchise. Beyond commercial tentpoles, he has more recently taken on weightier material – playing a gifted mathematician navigating personal and patriotic obligations in “Decoded,” and anchoring the period adventure “Detective Chinatown 1900.”
“‘Next Generation’ reminds me to stay grounded and keep working hard,” Liu said. “I’m grateful to all the creators of Asian cinema and to every audience member who walks into the cinema.”
Terrance Lau, a graduate of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, has built his career across stage, television and film. He drew considerable notice for his understated work in “Trouble Girl” and for his turn as “Shin” in action hit “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In.” Both that film and “Stuntman” have resonated strongly with Japanese audiences, and Lau has begun extending his reach into productions spanning multiple Asian markets. His upcoming credits include “Peg O’ My Heart” and “The Lychee Road.”
“I hope to keep following my heart and moving forward, one step at a time,” Lau said.
The 19th Asian Film Awards is organized by the Asian Film Awards Academy, with support from Hong Kong’s Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency and the Film Development Fund. Alongside the ceremony, the AFAA will present filmmaker conversations, masterclasses and Asian cinema screenings.
The event takes place March 15 at the Xiqu Centre, West Kowloon in Hong Kong.
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