"As a Black and trans filmmaker, Smith refreshingly creates the space for [her subjects] to be provocative, raw and daringly glamorous in her taboo-breaking work filmed in gleaming black-and-white and edited with a fiery spirit." - Tomris Laffly, Harper's Bazaar
"A raucous compilation of charismatic storytellers gathered in the most lively way possible." - Nick Allen, rogertebert.com
Winner of the NEXT Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival, D. Smith’s fresh, electric KOKOMO CITY presents the stories of four Black transgender sex workers in New York and Georgia. Uninhibited and bracingly honest, Smith’s subjects take turns recounting both harrowing and hilarious client stories and honestly analyzing queerness within Black culture and America. Shot and edited by Smith, KOKOMO CITY sets the joy, beauty, and pain of its subjects’ lives to a vibrant and fearless beat.
Awards & Nominations
Winner - NEXT Audience Choice Award, Sundance Film Festival
Winner - NEXT Innovator Award, Sundance Film Festival
Winner - Best International Film, DocAviv Festival
Nominee - Audience Choice Award, SXSW Film Festival