2024

Trailer

In a world where reality bends between the virtual and the corporeal, Insert Coin to Play follows an unnamed protagonist as they navigates a system that requires participation to exist. Each action, each choice, seems predetermined—like a coin inserted into a machine, triggering an outcome dictated by unseen algorithms. Through a blend of choreography, visual installations, and cinematic storytelling, the protagonist encounters shifting power structures, manipulated information, and moments of surreal confrontation that challenge their perception of agency.

As the boundaries between victim and perpetrator, observer and participant, begin to dissolve, the film unravels the mechanisms of societal control—echoing critiques of governance, media influence, and the commodification of human attention. Inspired by philosophical inquiries into interdependence and performative identity, Insert Coin to Play blurs the lines between game and reality, leaving viewers to ponder: Are we playing, or are we being played?

Insert Coin to Play is a thought-provoking exploration of power, control, and agency in a world dominated by digital interfaces and societal structures. Inspired by the choreographic work Tamer, this film harmonizes Eastern and Western performance aesthetics with cinematic and installation art techniques to create a surreal, immersive experience. The film reflects on how human interactions are increasingly gamified, with individuals navigating roles dictated by unseen systems—whether through governance, technology, or media manipulation. Through movement, visual abstraction, and layered symbolism, Insert Coin to Play questions whether true autonomy exists or if we are merely players in a game designed by forces beyond our control.

Director & producer & editor:
Valkyrie yao

Cast:
Cherish Hayes
Isadora Escalera
John paul Alejandro
Kayleigh Berman
Maia Castelli
Samantha Frankel
Yawen Luo

Cinematography:
Chad Westover
Natalie Nguyen
Valkyrie Yao

Crew:
Natalie Nguyen
Emily Sangmeister
Angela Lee