Directed by broadcaster Cesar Apolinario and Marnie Manicad (wife of Jiggy), it’s produced by an international film company called Portfolio Films, with the support of GMA Films as co-producer and distributor. What’s his role in the movie?
“I play a dance instructor na nabilanggo after being accused of frustrated murder,” says Dingdong. “The movie shows how dancing energized the lives of the prisoners in Cebu and gave them hope. I’m sure yung inmates sa Cebu, excited na ring mapanood ang pelikulang ito na sama-sama naming pinaghirapan. As of now, I’m praying na sana naman, panoorin ito ng ating moviegoers and I promise hindi ako mapapahiya sa kanila sa ganda ng movie. The dance sequences alone involving all the inmates are already worth the price of admission.”
Also in the movie is international actor Patrick Bergin, who played Julia Roberts’ abusive husband in the hit 1991 movie, “Sleeping with the Enemy”. He acts as the movie’s narrator and he and Dingdong develop a father and son kind of story in the film. Other local actors in the cast are Ricky Davao, Mon Confiado, Joey Paras, Gabe Mercado and Kathleen Hermosa.
What can Dingdong say that “Dance of the Steel Bars” is up against the big Hollywood summer movie, “Man of Steel”, when it opens on June 12? “Well, we have something in common, parehong may ‘Steel’ sa titles namin. Maganda yung may options ang viewers natin kung anong gusto nilang panoorin. Yung sa amin, talagang may Filipino flavour. It’s also going to be shown in Guam, Los Angeles, Hawaii, Qatar, Bangkok, Canada and it’s also entered sa Melbourne, Locarno and Vancouver International Film Festivals.”
Before it premieres in Manila on June 10, the movie will first have a special screening for the Cebu inmates who are part of the movie on June 7.
