Film Talk with D. Smith, Director of KOKOMO CITY

Moderation: Seggen Mikael


KOKOMO CITY, US 2023, D. Smith


Four black trans sex workers speak about their backgrounds and
their everyday lives in New York and Atlanta. Their deeply honest
stories expose the clichés and taboos in discussions of
transsexuality. In striking black and white images and
underscored with a Blaxploitation soundtrack, interviews,
dramatizations and re-enactments come together into impactful
biographical narratives.


Biography


Earlier in her career, D. Smith worked in the music
industry as a (read male) producer, singer and songwriter,
collaborated with Lil Wayne and Timbaland, among others, and was
nominated for a Grammy twice. In 2014, she began her transition
to womanhood. As a result, she hardly received any offers as a
musician and started working on KOKOMO CITY, her first film,
which took a total of three years. The film premiered at Sundance
in 2023.