Seasoned director Mac Alejandre explained that his film starring Alfred Vargas, Shaina Magdayao, and Iza Calzado is about chance encounters, crossroads, and making decisions in the process.
“It is finding yourself, finding others in yourself, finding yourself in others, and it’s about chance encounters. Crossroad siya ng buhay. Sometimes, gumagawa tayo ng mga desisyon sa buhay at ‘yung oras ng paggawa ng desisyon will lead to the proper tagpuan," Alejandre said of the film's main theme.
Set in three different locations (New York, Hong Kong, and Manila), the film was written by award-winning screenwriter Ricky Lee.
Tagpuan tackles the intertwined lives of Allan (Alfred Vargas), Tanya (Iza Calzado), and Agnes (Shaina Magdayao), three individuals who are in their mid-30s. The characters will find themselves entangled in a different kind of love triangle where love is not romanticized.
"The film promises something more relatable and realistic," shared lead actor and Quezon City District 5 Rep. Alfred Vargas.
In the film, he is portraying the role of a wealthy businessman who has been separated from his wife Tanya, a university professor in New York. In his journey to finding himself, he meets Agnes in Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, Shaina said she enjoyed playing her colorful yet very mysterious character, an overseas Filipino worker in Hong Kong who tries to make ends meet by taking on every job possible. Her life changes after a chance encounter with Allan.
Shaina is open about being so thrilled and grateful to be part of the film project.
She said, “I’m very grateful kasi naging parte ako ng isang Ricky Lee script. Noong maibigay po sa ‘kin ang oportunidad, I had to say yes right away. Lahat tayo may void, may loneliness. Lahat tayo we’re just trying to survive. ‘Yun po ‘yung pinaka-ino-honor ng character ko. You can call her broken, you can call her lost. Pero ‘di ba lahat naman tayo may ganun?“
Direk Mac reinforced the glimpse of the film Shaina gave us. He established the specific perspective it is coming from.
“Tagpuan talks about love sa point of view ng nasa age bracket na mga 30s,” he said. “Hindi sila ‘yung mga bagong na-in love ako, nasaktan ako, anong gagawin ko? Ang mga tao dito, na-in love na, nasaktan na, sawa na sila. "
Tagpuan is one of the entries in the Metro Manila Film Festival available via upstream.ph. on Christmas Day.