The 17th Asian Film Awards, presented by the Asian Film Awards Academy (AFAA), will be held on 10th March 2024 at the Xiqu Centre of the West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong. The AFA Rising Star Award will be presented to recognise promising new generation talents who have demonstrated exceptional breakthroughs and potentials in Asian cinema and to show them encouragements for further advancement. Receiving the honour this year is emerging Thai star Metawin Opas-iamkajorn (Win) who rose to fame for his leading role in the television series 2gether: The Series and its associated film 2gether: The Movie. Win is the first Thai awardee of the AFA Rising Star Award.

At age 24, Win is one of the most popular actors in his generation not just in his home country but in the Asia-Pacific region. His acting debut in TV series 2gether: The Series made him instant popular, capturing the hearts of fans across Asia. Film version of the series, also his film debut 2gether: The Movie was selected to show in Hong Kong Asia Film Festival. Tickets of a total of four screenings were all sold out within seconds on the day of ticket sales. On the first day of official release in Hong Kong, full houses with over 3000 seats occupied of all 12 screenings demonstrated the undeniable popularity.

Win will attend the 17th Asian Film Awards ceremony in person to receive the AFA Rising Star Award on stage. Bringing along his second film Under Parallel Skies, Win will participate in a special event with lead actress Janella Salvador, film executive producer Richard Juan, and director Sigrid Bernardo, sharing their insights on the film with Hong Kong audience and fans.

Under Parallel Skies is directed by Sigrid Bernardo, the Filipino award-winning director who was awarded in both local and overseas film festivals including the Osaka Asian Film Festival. In her latest work, the film follows the story of a Thai bachelor (played by Metawin) who travels to Hong Kong in search of his missing mother. He encounters a Filipino hotelier (played by Salvador) who helps him navigate love, heartbreak, and healing in the foreign city amid their differences in culture and identity. Shot in Hong Kong from June 2023 to July 2023, the film features iconic local locations including Kowloon City and Tai O, making Hong Kong a suitable and meaningful locale for the film’s initial exposure. The film is scheduled for release exclusively in cinemas in April 2024.