The film received universal accolades, and has been screened at international film festivals around the world. According to the Hollywood Reporter's Jordan Mintzer, Smoke is a "fairly gripping account of women finding respite in each other’s company at a time, and in a place, where they have few possibilities to express themselves freely."[7] Amal Awad, reviewing the film for Australia's SBS, called it a "thrilling tale" and "It’s a reminder of why we watch stories".[8]