Iconic Hong Kong actor Ekin Cheng will receive the Star Asia Award at NYAFF 2025. The honor celebrates his remarkable 37-year career across film, music, and television. Coinciding with the North American premiere of Cheng’s newest feature, Last Song For You, a stirring expression of grief, memory, and midlife reflection, the festival is also hosting a special retrospective 35mm screening of one of his earliest hits, Andrew Lau’s Young and Dangerous (1996), marking its 30th anniversary. Cheng made his acting debut in the film as a teenager, and it shot him to film stardom, as well as launching a franchise. He went on to star in more than 60 films, including fantasy epics The Storm Riders (1998) and A Man Called Hero (1999), romantic comedies like My Wife Is 18 (2002),_ _and dark thrillers like Rule Number One (2008), for which he won Best Actor at Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, and blockbuster Golden Job (2018, $22.7M China opening), which reunited the cast from the Young and Dangerous series. Cheng’s storied career spans genre-defining films even as he’s continued performing in sold-out concert tours around the world.

Chan Kwong-wing has scored more than 80 movies, including the legendary Chinese series _Infernal Affairs I–III _and box office hit Initial D. During his journey in the movie industry, he has received numerous awards and nominations. His distinguished achievements include the Crystal Simorgh for the Best Music for the Iranian film The Kingdom of Solomon; the Golden Deer Award for Best Film Music at the Changchun Film Festival for The Founding of the Army; and the Best Music Award at the 34th China Golden Rooster Awards for Chinese Doctor. Chan is also a three-time winner for the Best Original Music at the Hong Kong Film Awards, with Stormriders, Bodyguards and Assassins, and Wuxia.