'Dance of the Steel Bars' is a film for every Filipino | GMANetwork.com - Pictures - Articles

Inspired by the lives of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) Dancing Inmates, Dance of the Steel Bars is a commentary on the Philippine justice system and a depiction of how the art of dancing has given prisoners a gleam of hope in the darkness of the prison walls.

'Dance of the Steel Bars' is a film for every Filipino



Inspired by the lives of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) Dancing Inmates, Dance of the Steel Bars is a commentary on the Philippine justice system and a depiction of how the art of dancing has given prisoners a gleam of hope in the darkness of the prison walls.

Produced by Portfolio Films International and GMA Films, the movie is directed by Cesar Apolinario and Marnie Manicad.

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. 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?

At the press conference for the film, Dingdong Dantes shared what he liked most about his character, Mando. “I guess the fact that there’s something unique, something na hindi ko pa nagagawa, because ‘yung role ko, medyo at first may pagka-homophobic siya, pero at the same time, naging close siya sa mga tao at ‘yun ‘yung dahilan kung bakit nagawa niya ‘yung mga bagay na akala niyang hindi niya magagawa, which is to dance,” said Dantes.

He also shared how it was to work with Hollywood actor, Patrick Bergin. “Masaya po siyang katrabaho. Noong una, hindi ko siya nakakausap masyado, pero sa ibang eksena, nakakapag-communicate naman kami. Kitang-kita po ‘yung professionalism sa kanya. He comes on the dot and he knows what he’s doing,” described the award-winning actor.

At the premiere night of Dance of the Steel Bars last June 10, director Marnie Manicad explained her motivation in coming up with the concept and making the film. She revealed, “Kaya naman namin ginawa ang istoryang ito, because we wanted to show the whole world kung saan nanggaling ang dancing inmates, kung paano na-transform ang inmates na ito. I think naipakita naman namin ‘yung story of hope, love, freedom and redemption through the film.”

Director Cesar Apolinario added that the film’s showing on June 12 is very timely, since it shows the Filipino spirit and positive values.

“Ma-iinspire kayo sa pelikula. Wala siya masyadong extravagant na special effects, pero makikita niyo si Dingdong Dantes na sumasayaw, at napakahusay niya. Para sa ating lahat ito, para sa bawat Pilipino,” stated Apolinario.

Catch Dance of the Steel Bars in theaters on June 12. -Text by Samantha Portillo, GMANetwork.com