Asian Stars: Up Next, Presented by IFFAM and Variety

By Patrick Frater

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – The Asian Stars: Up Next, showcased by the International  Film Festival & Awards Macao and Variety, recognize and promote Asian on-screen talent – not necessarily young, but youngish – who we believe have the skills to become something much bigger in the entertainment industry.

Some of the talents selected are already established, well-known, and at the top of their game in their home territories. But that’s not the point. What these awards seek is to help Asia’s talent cross borders onto an international or global stage. That’s a question of ambition, and hard work to come.

In 2017 the talent selection included Celina Jade, Ludi Lin, Rajkummar Rao, Shioli Kutsuna, Piolo Pascual, And Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying, better known as the star of “Bad Genius,” while Xana Tang (New Zealand), Ann Curtis (The Philippines), Zheng Kai (China), Zaira Wasim (India) and Iqbaal Ramadhan (Indonesia) represented the 2018 crop.