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Kokomo City

2023

Documentary, Self: Daniella Carter, Dominique Silver, Liyah Mitchell, Koko Da Doll

6.7

Documentary A depiction of the lives of four black trans sex workers as they confront the dichotomy between the black community and themselves.

	Media	Author	Review
		Gregory Ellwood The Playlist	"Smith and her subject’s objective are to let you know the world has arrived in 'Kokomo City' whether they like it or not. And, frankly, we wouldn’t have minded hearing even more from them"
		Amber Wilkinson Screendaily	"Shot in crisp black and white by Smith herself, the women candidly speak about their lives and their livelihood as well as offering more general philosophical observations on societal attitudes towards gender and sex work"
		Jacob Oller Paste Magazine	"Hilarious, scary, tragic and sometimes flat-out jaw-dropping, 'Kokomo City' is a gripping and accessible dissection of modern life, told through a brutally specific point of view"
		Michael Rechtshaffen Los Angeles Times	"[It] delivers a constantly surprising, undeniably entertaining portrait that proves anything but monochromatic"
		Diego Semerene Slant	"Its attempt to provide a basic understanding of the relationship between trans women and the men who desire them is admirable (...) But the documentary only gestures toward an exploration (...) Rating: ★★½ (out of 4)"
		Peter Debruge Variety	"This unforgettable format-defying film tackles issues of safety, sexual identity and desire from the perspective of several trans women who've seen it all"
		Leslie Felperin The Guardian	"D Smith’s effortless documentary, eloquently explained by its glamorous subjects, covers the whole spectrum of experience (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"
		Jude Dry IndieWire	"A luminous portrait of four Black trans women in all of their joy, pain, and beauty (...) Smith's subjects are also free from the pressure to paint everything in rosy hues"
		Cyrus Cohen Time Out	"A portrait of transness, sex work and Black excellence that defies categorisation, this doc is the future of LGBTQ+ cinema (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"
		Kevin Maher The Times	"A vivid portrait that gamely attempts, wherever possible, to ring-fence itself from ideology (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)"
		Wendy Ide The Guardian	"D Smith’s life-affirming US documentary has a brash visual style that perfectly complements the bravado of its subjects (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"
		Matt Zoller Seitz rogerebert.com	"A blast of creative freedom in an increasingly corporatized period of nonfiction filmmaking (...) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 4)"
		Lovia Gyarkye The Hollywood Reporter	"Punchy delivery styles, shimmering personalities and kaleidoscopic perspectives make up the soul of D. Smith’s gusty documentary 'Kokomo City'"
		Ann Hornaday The Washington Post	"Smith keeps the beauty shots moving with quick asides, animations, neon-yellow screen titles (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)"
		Richard Whittaker Austin Chronicle	"Smith doesn't blanch at the sexual, either in conversation or visuals, but that's exactly the kind of earnestness the topic requires (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)"
		Nick Allen rogerebert.com	"A raucous compilation of charismatic storytellers gathered in the most lively way possible"
		Calum Baker Radio Times	"An incisive and serious-minded film, yet one that's never less than respectful, hopeful and alive (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"
		Brooks Eisenbise Chicago Reader	"A triumphant and impactful directorial debut for D. Smith, 'Kokomo City' asks us what it means to be at peace with ourselves and what we're willing to sacrifice to get there"
		Jonathan Dean The Sunday Times	"D Smith, the film’s debuting director, never minimises the problems her subjects face, but she also maximises their glamour using rich monochrome photography (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"
		Theodoor Steen Screen Anarchy	"'Kokomo City' might be the first documentary about black trans women or sex workers that doesn't focus solely on the hardships"

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