KOKOMO CITY -- A Film Capable of Transforming Perspectives

Reviewed by Jonathan Berk

Koko Da Doll in KOKOMO CITY, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

Choosing what project to make your directorial debut on is a big one. If that choice says something about the one making it, then D. Smith is brave, bold, and beautiful. Kokomo City is simple as a documentary film. It is a person with a camera pointed at the subjects sharing their lives. Where this film is elevated is the stunning black and white cinematography, unique camera placement, and both the stories shared and the people to whom they belong.   
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Smith’s movie features four Black transgender sex workers out of Atlanta and New York City — Daniella Carter, Koko Da Doll, Liyah Mitchell, and Dominique Silver — who share stories unreservedly about their profession and the struggles they have faced with acceptance. While the film mostly focuses on the four transgender women, it also frequently returns to Lo, a music producer and writer, and his experience with an internet relationship with a transgender woman. His reluctance to admit his interest really helps land the struggles the core four experience. There are other interviews and conversations to supplement the main stories, but Lo seems particularly compelling as the film returns to him and his struggle.

​Black and white cinematography has seen a resurgence over the last few years, but it is still infrequent. For some people, the lack of color on screen is enough of a reason to walk away from a movie or show, and thus a risk a filmmaker takes. However, Smith’s decision to shoot this in black and white pays off. There are so many gorgeous frames in this documentary, it is often easy to forget it’s not a fashion ad. The great juxtaposition of the exquisite look is the realness Smith asked the four transgender women to maintain.

Liyah Mitchell in KOKOMO CITY, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

Smith said, “I wanted those walls down. In this film, I was able to share the private lives of four transgender sex workers who are never represented publicly. I offered the girls freedom. Freedom to talk like us. Look like us. Don’t worry about politics. Forget about makeup. Don’t worry about calling your glam squad today. Just tell your story. I wanted to humanize the transgender experience.” This idea is present in every moment of the film, and it is executed to great impact. 
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Kokomo City touches on many hot-button topics in our world right now. While many stories are comedic, Smith’s film slowly turns towards many of the struggles faced by black transgender women. The focus of finding ones place and our desire to find acceptance rings true and loud. This film emphasizes how sad it is that our society makes people feel unable to exist openly and freely. The final shot of the film is a powerful one that stamps Smith’s statement completely. 

Kokomo City is out in theaters on July 28.

Rating: 4.5/5​