France 's Swift Distribution has boarded Brillante 'Dante' Mendoza 's Cinema Impierno (aka Service) as a co-producer - marking the sales company's first foray into production.

The company will finance the $500,000 HAF project along with Mendoza's Center Stage Productions. Filming will begin this Friday (March 21)

Swift founder Didier Costet said he found the story about rentboys providing sexual services in a theatre highly original.

He is currently at Filmart and will fly to Manila with Mendoza and Filipino co-producer Ferdinand Lapuz for the shoot.

Filipino actress Mercedes Cabral who has recently been cast in Korean director Park Chan-wook's upcoming Thirst, will join the cast which includes multiple award-winning actress Gina Pareno (Jeffrey Jeturian's The Bet Collector), Kristofer King and Coco Martin, both Mendoza's regulars.

Set in a run-down porn theatre, the film about male prostitution will also feature real-life service boys. The 11-day shoot will take place in Angeles City, outside Manila.

Mendoza's reputation is growing in France. Swift previously picked up his Masseur and more recently Slingshot which is due to open in France this June. His Foster Child, acquired by Ad Vitam, opened last month on 30 prints in Paris.