“Dance of the Steel Bars” is a captivating story inspired by actual events in a Filipino prison, the struggles that inmates experience and their quest to feel human again. This riveting feature film about redemption 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 was beginning to lose faith in everything he believed 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 himself out of danger or to help his fellow inmates by revealing the truth. Will he remain on the side lines as an observer, or will he dance the dance of the steel bars?
DANCE OF THE STEEL BARS stars Dingdong Dantes, Patrick Bergin, Ricky Davao, Joey Paras, Gabe Mercado, Kathleen Hermosa , Mon Confiado, Maila Damian, Thou Reyes and the Cebu Dancing Inmates
Screenplay: Cris Lim
Direction: Cesar Apolinario and Marnie P. Manicad
Production: Portfolio Films International. Stuart Cameron, Stu Higton
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