Shaina with Lav

It was truly an amazing experience for Shaina Magdayao to be in the same venue and share the same stage with such famous actors as Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe during the Cannes Film Festival 2019.

The young actress attended the prestigious event in France for Lav Diaz’s Ang Hupa (The Halt) which she starred in with Piolo Pascual, Pinky Amador, Joel Lamangan, Mara Lopez, Hazel Orencio, among others. The sci-fi film debuted at the Cannes Film Festival Directors’ Fortnight last May 22. It was also one of the three selected films from Asia, alongside Takashi Miike’s Hatsukoi (First Love) and Johnny Ma’s Huo Zhe Chang Zhe (To Live to Sing). Shaina said her whole Cannes experience is not easy to forget.

“Actually, it’s humbling because you will somehow get to realize that the world is so big and you are too small,” said Shaina who was on the hot seat of Tonight with Boy Abunda a few nights back. “But I like the fact that I felt so small and at the same time, I’ve learned a lot of new things from the experience that when I got back home, there’s this energy na nanggigigil ako ngayon gumawa (ng trabaho).”

Shaina also had the chance to see big name stars in Hollywood and Bollywood. “The people were from all over the world — Hollywood, Bollywood at nakakatuwa na pati Asian filmmakers ay nandoon na din.”

Shaina hopes for Ang Hupa to get a playdate in local cinemas soon. “I really hope it will be shown here because if you ask direk Lav, he always says that he’s doing a film for Filipinos. That’s why, it is important to him for the film to be released here.”

In the film, Shaina had a kissing scene with a female co-star. It was not the first time, she reminded. “My first was in another Lav movie. For the love of Lav, oo lang ng oo and as long as it is needed in the story, I’ll do it.”

Working with the director gives her a different perspective “because when you work with someone like him, he also teaches you.”

No wonder, Shaina is more inspired to work since she came back in time for the streaming of her latest starrer, Past, Present, Perfect, on iWant. Episodes one to seven, according to Shaina, can now be viewed fully on the Kapamilya digital app while it will also be available on TFC in two weeks.

In line with her show, Shaina gamely agreed to do the Past or Present Challenge. She was presented with several photos of people close to her and then she dropped them one by one in two boxes — one for present and the other for past — and explained why. Read on.

Piolo Pascual — “Present. Why? Because he’s still there (laughs).”

Bea Alonzo — “Gusto ko siya ilagay sa Present. She’s a big part of my past and who I am right now so I don’t think hanggang past lang; ayoko s’yang hanggang sa past lang. I want her to be with me until the present.”

Jodi Sta. Maria — “Present. I didn’t expect that she will be part of my present. We found a friend in each other.”

John Lloyd Cruz — “Past. I’m feeling shy every time his name is being mentioned when I’m promoting something. But I’m grateful that he’s part of my past.”