Inspired BY CPDRC dancing inmates, Dingdong Dantes, Patrick Bergin star in prison-drama 'Dance of the Steel Bars'

CEBU, Philippines - With an authentic gritty setting, star-studded cast, gripping storyline and a soundtrack that combines contemporary street dance with the sound of a big Hollywood film score, the theatrical release of Dance of the Steel Bars will kick-start Philippine Independence Day with a bang.

Directed by Cesar Apolinario and Marnie Manicad and starring Dingdong Dantes (“Tiktik:The Aswang Chronicles,” “One More Try,” “Kimi Dora”), Patrick Bergin (“Sleeping with the Enemy,” “Patriot Games,” “Robin Hood”), and a pack of seasoned talent, the release from Portfolio Films and GMA Films comes exclusively to SM Cinemas nationwide on June 12, 2013. 

“Wringing with the combined raw talent of both cast and crew and set against the real backdrop of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center, Dance of the Steel Bars brings audiences into an inspiring story that celebrates the flawed human spirit’s journey in search of redemption and truth,” said Stuart Cameron, Producer of Portfolio Films.

Dingdong Dantes believes that this project will show the world the resilient Filipino culture, the remarkable talent of local filmmakers and their vision towards globalization of the film industry. “It will be something that will mark the start of something great and I am so proud to be part of it,” Dantes said.

Filmed on location in Cebu and Manila, Dance of the Steel Bars follows Frank Parish (Patrick Bergin), a retired US fireman and philanthropist who finds himself wrongly accused of murder and jailed in the Philippines. Stuck in prison, Frank begins to lose faith in everything he believes in until he becomes friends with Mando (Dingdong Dantes), a convicted murderer who denies his passion for dancing just to prove his masculinity and Allona (Joey Paras), a transsexual who tries to contribute to prison reforms by teaching his fellow inmates dance exercises.

They get involved in a tricky struggle between the positive changes initiated by the new warden (Ricky Davao) and the corrupt system that weighs down the inmates’ chance to become better individuals. Frank finds himself caught in an intricate web of lies and must choose between concealing what he knows to keep him out of danger or to help his fellow inmates by revealing the truth. All throughout the film each character will be faced with a moral dilemma: Will they remain sitting on the fence or will they dance with the steel bars?

Playing equally important roles in Dance of the Steel Bars are Mon Confiado as Gudo, Kathleen Hermosa as Lulu, Thou Reyes as Dong Mata, Gabe Mercado as Deputy Warden Diaz, Renee Salud as Charity and Gov. Gwen Garcia as herself.

The team behind Dance of the Steel Bars is proud to be working with GMA Films, a film production company of the Philippines’ leading station GMA Network. It produced critically acclaimed and successful movies, among which are Jose Rizal, Muro Ami and Deathrow. “We are very happy that Dance of the Steel Bars is our Independence Day offering. It’s a movie that we could be proud of not only in the Philippines but also worldwide. ” says Jose Mari Abacan, GMA Films.

Dance of the Steel Bars is produced by Portfolio Films International. The story is by Cesar Apolinario, Marnie Manicad and Jiggy Manicad. The screenplay is by Cris Lim. The story is inspired by the lives of the CPDRC Dancing Inmates and is a fictional account of how the dancing program started.

Cindera Che, a renowned performance coach based in Los Angeles, choreographed the dance performances in the movie. Cindera was Michael Jackson’s muse in his Smooth Criminal music video. Edward White, a London-based composer, wrote the score for the movie. Ed was mentored by Hans Zimmer and also did live performances for Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. (FREEMAN)