Kokomo City

Kokomo City is an 2023 American documentary film, directed, produced, and edited by D. Smith. It explores the lives of four transgender sex workers in New York and Georgia. Lena Waithe serves as an executive producer.

Kokomo City
Directed byD. Smith
Produced by
CinematographyD. Smith
Edited byD. Smith
Production
companies
  • Couch Potatoe Pictures
  • Hillman Grad Productions
Distributed byMagnolia Pictures
Release dates
  • January 21, 2023 (2023-01-21) (Sundance)
  • July 28, 2023 (2023-07-28) (United States)
Running time
73 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

It had its world premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2023, and is scheduled to be released on July 28, 2023, by Magnolia Pictures.

Plot

Explores the lives of four transgender sex workers Daniella Carter, Dominque Silver, Koko Da Doll, and Liyah Mitchell in New York and Georgia.

Production

D. Smith had a successful career in the music industry, producing songs for Lil Wayne, Ciara, Keri Hilson, Billy Porter and André 3000.[2] However, when she began to transition, she was essentially forced out of the industry, and ended up broke and homeless.[3] Smith had the idea for a documentary film revolving around sex work, after wondering what would happen if she had to turn to it to sustain herself, and those who had no other options.[4] Smith was still homeless when she began working on the project, with a camera being purchased by a host of where she was once staying, and a laptop by a producer.[5]

To find subjects for the film, Smith turned to Instagram and YouTube.[6] Smith wanted her subjects to feel comfortable, telling them to talk as if they were talking to her and shooting at lower angles to make it look as if they were at a sleepover.[7] Lena Waithe and her producing partner, Rishi Rajani boarded the film as executive producers after having been blowed away after viewing the film.[8]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2023.[9] Shortly after, Magnolia Pictures acquired distribution rights to the film.[10] It also screened at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival on February 21, 2023, where it won the Panorama Audience Award,[11][12][13] and SXSW on March 13, 2023.[14] It is scheduled to be released on July 28, 2023.[15]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 17 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.20/10.[16] On Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 81 out of 100, based on 6 critics, indicating "universal acclaim."[17]

The film received the Panorama Audience Award at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival[11] and also won the NEXT Audience & Innovator awards at the 2023 Sundance festival.[18]

Aftermath

On April 18, 2023, Koko da Doll, real name Rasheeda Williams, was found dead from a gunshot wound in Southwest Atlanta. Smith responded to the news by emphasizing her intent to show the lighter side of life for Black trans women, and said Williams "will inspire generations to come and will never be forgotten." Other tributes came from her costars, one of the film's producers Harris Doran, and the Sundance Film Festival.[19][20]

References
  1. "Kokomo City". Sundance Film Festival. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  2. Donnelly, Matt (January 30, 2023). "Breakout Director D. Smith, Who 'Lost Everything' When She Transitioned, Just Conquered Sundance". Variety. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  3. Azzopardi, Chris (February 15, 2023). "Homeless after the music business rejected her as trans, D. Smith is back". Out in Jersey. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  4. Dixon, Delania (January 20, 2023). "Filmmaker D. Smith's Kokomo City Gives Transgender Women a Real Voice". Ebony. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  5. Macnab, Geoffrey (February 22, 2023). "Berlinale Panorama interview: Kokomo City by D Smith". Business Doc Europe. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  6. Mullen, Pat (January 21, 2023). "D. Smith Talks KOKOMO CITY and Trans Representation". POV. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  7. Carey, Matthew (March 1, 2023). "Breakthrough Director D. Smith On Her Sundance And Berlin-Winning 'Kokomo City,' An Unfiltered View Of Black Trans Women". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  8. Jackson, Angelique (February 3, 2023). "How Two Sundance-Winning Films Forecast the Future for Lena Waithe's Hillman Grad Production Company". Variety. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  9. D'Alessandro, Anthony; Patten, Dominic (December 7, 2022). "Sundance Film Festival Lineup Set With Ukraine War, Little Richard, Michael J. Fox, Judy Blume Docs; Pics With Anne Hathaway, Emilia Clarke, Jonathan Majors; More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  10. Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 22, 2023). "Magnolia Bags WW Rights To Sundance Docu 'Kokomo City' On Black Transgender Sex Workers". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  11. Roxborough, Scott (February 25, 2023). "Berlin: 'Kokomo City,' 'Sira' Win Panorama Audience Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  12. "Kokomo City". Berlin International Film Festival. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  13. Goodfellow, Melanie (January 18, 2023). "Berlin: George MacKay, Béatrice Dalle, Fan Bingbing, Sandra Hüller & Joan Baez Movies Head To Fest". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  14. "Kokomo City". South by Southwest. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  15. "40 Films to See This Summer". The Film Stage. April 25, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  16. "Kokomo City". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  17. "Kokomo City". Metacritic. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  18. Mia Galuppo (January 27, 2023). "Sundance: 'A Thousand and One,' Nikki Giovanni Doc Take Top Jury Prizes". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  19. Jackson, Angelique (April 20, 2023). "Kokomo City Documentary Star Koko da Doll Found Dead at 35". Variety. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  20. Carly Thomas; Etan Vlessing (April 21, 2023). "Koko Da Doll, Star of 'Kokomo City' Sundance Documentary, Found Dead in Atlanta". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
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