A fracas erupted as the pair fought for the gun, tumbling down a flight of stairs.
But it was great.
Its unfiltered, adamantly unapologetic.
‘Kokomo City’Magnolia Pictures/Paramount+/Showtime
Youre not just watching youre experiencing human beings in their rawest form.
And thats something we dont see very often.
Waithe adds, What moves me the most is the humanity.
‘Kokomo City’ director D. Smith (L) and protagonist Daniella Carter appear at Outfest in Los Angeles.Matthew Carey
you’ve got the option to feel the rawness and the humanness from every person in the film.
The trans women at the heart ofKokomo Cityarent pleading for acceptance.
Smith insists, You cant get blacker than this film…
I designed the film for Black people.
And Ive wanted that.
And thats what [the women in the film] gave us.
The film ends with a dedication to Koko Da Doll, one of the central women in the film.
Its a reminder of the inherent danger of sex work for trans women, especially trans women of color.
Many are forced into that line of work because employers in traditional professions wont hire them.
She was really the main one that spoke about how she lost all of her friends to being murdered.
If I had not filmed her, she just wouldve been another murdered trans woman in Atlanta… Smith publicly revealed her own transition in 2016.
You feel so useless, so hopeless that youd just come into this dark rabbit hole of suicidal thoughts.
Some force of will kept her going.
And I said, Okay.
I cant wait to prove them wrong.
The proof has come in dramatic fashion, withKokomo Citywinning awards at film festivals around the world.
Smith signed with CAA a day beforeKokomo Citys world premiere.
Its clear speaking with Smith thatKCis only a taste of whats to come.
Doing a documentary was the most economical way to be creative, she says.
But I deeply, deeply, deeply want to do scripted…
I have my hands full for sure, but in the best way.
Its nothing like it was two years ago.
Waithe, too, expects big things.
D. Smith is such a force, she says.
Im looking forward to what she does next.
