Hong Kong/Tokyo (December 25, 2023) For the first time in its history, the Asian Film Awards Academy (Academy or AFAA) has appointed not one, but four celebrated Asian stars as the Youth Ambassadors of the 17th Asian Film Awards (AFA, in alphabetical order): LIU Kuan-Ting, Mario MAURER, MIYAZAWA Hio and Will OR. Miyazawa is the first Japanese to be appointed as the Youth Ambassador at AFA. Not only will the Youth Ambassadors take the stage together at the AFA ceremony, they will also participate in a number of AFA outreach events, meeting fans and cinephiles in conversations about their craft and their love of Asian cinema.
 
Miyazawa says, “I am honored and proud to be invited as the Youth Ambassador of AFA. As a Japanese actor, I hope to use this role to bring the charm of Japanese cinema to a larger audience.”
 
Miyazawa Hio is the winner of Best Supporting Actor at the 16th AFA for Egoist, which premiered in the Competition section at the 35th Tokyo International Film Festival in 2022. He has been highly prolific in Japanese television and films since making his acting debut in the second season of “Dr. Storks” in 2017. In 2020, he won multiple Best Newcomer prizes for his first starring role in a film, his, as well as the Newcomer of the Year prize at the Japan Academy Film Prize for Kiba: The Fangs of Fiction. His other films include historical epic The Legend & Butterfly and romantic drama Moonlight Shadow.
 
Organized by the Tokyo, Hong Kong and Busan International Film Festivals, and supported by Create Hong Kong and the Film Development Fund, the AFAA has spearheaded efforts to promote Asian cinema around the world year-round. As part of the Asian Film Awards (AFA), its flagship event and the largest celebration of Asian cinema in the world, the Academy appoints an emerging Asian star every year as Youth Ambassador to act as the face of the awards and to take part in outreach activities.
 
Embodying numerous countries and cultures, Asia is a region that is rich in diversity, and that diversity has always been reflected in its films, as seen in past AFA winners and nominees. As a way to honor and celebrate this diversity, this year’s AFA has enlisted four acclaimed actors from across the region, each with very different career paths and acting styles.
 
Dr. Wilfred WONG, GBM, GBS, JP, Chairman of Asian Film Awards Academy, says, “We are pleased to have these four talents as this year’s Youth Ambassadors. Each of them brings unique and extensive experiences from a myriad of genres to the table, and I look forward to seeing them come together to interact and share their thoughts on Asian cinema with audiences. Bringing this diverse group of actors together for a rich exchange of ideas is what the Asian Film Awards is all about.”
 
Please see the original AFAA press release in English for the other three Ambassadors’ comments and profiles:
afa-academy.com/20231225_en/
 
The nominees, Jury President, and ceremony details (date & time, venue) of the 17th AFA will be announced on 12 January. Stay tuned to the Asian Film Awards Academy’s official website and social media platforms for the latest updates and to see what our four Youth Ambassadors are up to!
 

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The 17th Asian Film Awards Nominations and Jury President Announcement
 
Date: 12 January 2024 (Friday)
Live: Asian Film Awards Academy Facebook Page (facebook.com/AsianFilmAwardsAcademy)

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Asian Film Awards (AFA)
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 in Asia and around the world.
afa-academy.com
 
Asian Film Awards Academy (AFAA)
The Asian Films Awards Academy, a non-profit organization, was founded by Busan, Hong Kong and Tokyo International Film Festivals with the shared goal of celebrating excellence in Asian cinema. Aiming to promote and recognize Asian films and its talents, AFAA highlights, strengthens and develops Asian film industry through the annual Asian Film Awards and several year-round initiatives.