‘Kokomo City’ Director D. Smith Talks ‘Artistic’ and ‘Elevated’ Documentary (Exclusive)

This summer has been filled with blockbuster movies such as Barbie, Oppenheimer and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. But independent films can make as much, if not more, of an impact on viewers, and an example of that is the documentary Kokomo City which takes a look at the lives of four transgender sex workers. PopCulture.com spoke exclusively to Kokomo City director D. Smith, who talked about how she came up with the idea for the documentary. 

“I was burnt out as a creator from the music industry and really, I honestly, truly had no idea how I was going to support myself and take care of myself, or get back on my feet, improve myself as a creator,” Smith exclusively told PopCulture. “The idea came to do Kokomo City by way of me just taking pictures around the city, in New York, in black and white, on my phone. I showed it to someone I was living with, barely knew, and he loved the images.   

“I said, ‘I want to do a documentary. I really want to do a documentary. I want something. I want to do something more than this. I want to do something. I want to take this to another level.’ I asked him if he could buy me a camera and a lens. This is someone that didn’t have money, but he had a credit card or something, and we were able to get the camera. And then I started looking for the girls online or through friends, and just doing some due diligence for a couple of months and started the process.”

The four girls featured in the film are Daniella Carter, the late Koko Da Doll — who was tragically shot and killed in April — Liyah Mitchell, and Dominique Silver. Throughout the documentary, the four “break down the walls of their profession. Holding nothing back, the film vibrates with energy, sex, challenge, and hard-earned wisdom.”

One thing that stands out with Kokomo City is it’s in black and white throughout the entire film. Smith made that decision to make the film stand out to viewers. “I didn’t want to make a film that felt like anyone else’s,” Smith explained. “I get bored and frustrated just thinking about what it could have been. My angle was already to do something different and fun and provocative in terms of just fresh and genuine and authentic, but I wanted it to feel elevated, too. I didn’t want it to feel cheap or raunchy. I wanted it to be an artistic, elevated film. There’s no other way than to do black and white on these girls that usually, would be filmed in a different way, just a non-creative way.”

Kokomo City, which is executive produced by Emmy Award winner Lena Waithe, has already earned its share of accolades, winning the Sundance Film Festival’s NEXT Innovator Award and NEXT Audience Award, as well as the Berlinale’s Audience Award in the Panorama Documentary section. When Smith learned about the multiple wins for her documentary, she couldn’t believe it. 

“My gosh. It took me some time, to be honest with you, for it to really sink in, what this all meant and happening,” she said. “Obviously, while it was happening, I knew it was an honor and it was prestigious, but it didn’t stop. It was another award, it was another article, it was another email. It was like it never stopped, and I never got a chance to just stop and go, S—, what’s happening?’ I’m always grateful for every opportunity, everything, but Sundance absolutely changed my life. It gave me a second chance. I had given up. I was burnt out. I was done, and I didn’t have too many other choices on how to get back on my feet. Being acknowledged and seen in Sundance really was just very gratifying.”  

Kokomo City is out in theatres now.