KING OF GAMES Short Film to Make LA Premiere at Dances With Films
The TCL Chinese 6 in Hollywood will screen the period drama starring Emperor Kaioyus and Miriam Cruz.
"King of Games", a multi-layered short centered on a young child amidst a life-changing day for him and his family, will make its LA Premiere on Monday June 22nd at the 28th edition of Dances With Films at 6:15 pm at the TCL Chinese 6 in Hollywood.
King of Games is a domestic drama and a late 1990s period piece that places the audience in the perspective of an eight-year-old, Hector, on the day he moves out of his home. Right before he and his family need to leave, he realizes he lost his prized deck of "King of Games" cards - a game based on his favorite television show. As he begins to search his home and interacts with members of his multigenerational household, from his edgy rocker older brother to his faith-loving great-abuela, the audience discovers this is not just any ordinary move, but that this is the final time this family will be together as his parents are getting divorced.
The film is directed by Tyler Cino-Maradiaga, written by Gabriella Bartley and Cino-Maradiaga and produced by Nicole Fernandez, Yuanwei Wang, and Cino-Maradiaga. The film stars Emperor Kaioyus (Run Nixon, The Equalizer), Mildred R. Gil, (To B., Loved and Lost), Annie Henk (Ponyboi, Alma's Way), Joshua Garcia (In the Heights, Mike), Bryan Fitzgerald (13 Reasons Why, What Breaks the Ice), Rigo Garay (Crumbcatcher, Blackout), Brandy Ochoa (Director's Cut) and Miriam Cruz (Alma's Way, Dora the Explorer).
"As a child of divorce, I've noticed many divorce narratives are not usually told from the point of view of a child and are not about families of color. Not only did I want this film to tackle this subject from an underrepresented viewpoint, but I wanted to present the universal idea that growing up is learning to cope with loss. Whether it is a deck of playing cards, a home, or even a family, change is not "a problem to be solved"; it is just an inevitable part of life," says Cino-Maradiaga.
Tyler Cino Maradiaga (Director, Producer, and Story by) is a Nicaraguan American writer, director and producer based in Brooklyn. Tyler has carried a passion for social justice since their undergraduate years at UC Berkeley and through a decade of working in the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion field. Believing storytelling is a catalyst for change, Tyler obtained a Master of Fine Arts in film directing at the Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema. Tyler's work utilizes drama, comedy, and fantastical genres to explore themes of identity and social issues. Their films have shown at Austin Film Festival, Chelsea Film Festival, and New Filmmakers Los Angeles, amongst others.
Nicole Fernandez (Producer) is a Colombian filmmaker based in New York City. As a creative producer, she is passionate about telling stories that raise awareness of social issues and explore the ways we interact as humans. She has experience producing documentaries, independent films, and music videos. In 2019, she founded Somondoco Films, the production company under which she signs her work. She graduated from the MFA program in producing at Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema and works as a visual artist at ID Studios, a theater company in the Bronx that serves Latino and immigrant communities.
Yuanwei Wang (Producer) is a New York-based Chinese American screenwriter and producer. A graduate with a B.A. in Screenwriting and an M.F.A. in Film Producing, he has worked in Film Development at Intrinsic Value, contributing to feature projects Out of Order and The Oath. Yuanwei has produced and production-managed numerous short films, currently making their festival rounds in 2025. As Studio Manager at 100 Sutton Studios in Brooklyn, he supports commercial and film productions. An advocate for Asian representation, Yuanwei helps bring to life stories about the Asian diaspora, focusing on culture, personal struggles, and identity challenges.
Gabriella Bartley (Screenplay by) is a filmmaker based in Staten Island, New York. She earned her production degree at the College of Staten Island and her M.F.A at the Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema. Her passion lies in writing animations, but also live-action films revolving around coming of age, comedy, and mental health. She's written and directed several films, including the short Lotus Green, which won the 2023 National Board of Review Award, Best Narrative at the Washington DC Film Festival, and Best Student Narrative Short at the CUNY Film Festival. Her most recent film, Lemon Bars, will soon enter the festival circuit.
The 9-minute short will screen as part of Fusion Shorts Block 2, at 6:15pm on Monday, June 22nd, 15th at the TCL Chinese 6, 6801 Hollywood Blvd. For tickets: https://danceswithfilms.com/2026-king-of-games/
ABOUT DANCES WITH FILMS
Now in its 28th year and represented in both Los Angeles and New York, DANCES WITH FILMS champions the unflinching spirit at the very core of the independent film scene. While the vast majority of film fests rely heavily on celebrity, we have relied on the innovation, talent, creativity and sweat equity that revolutionized the entertainment industry. And that reliance continues to prove successful with alumni moving on to write, direct and produce celebrity-studded vehicles, star in blockbuster movies and television series, produce multi-million dollar films and create hit TV shows. Oh.... and we even have several OSCAR nominees... In a world of homogenized, formulaic film festivals, DWF continues to defy the rules.
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