Kanye West Documentary Director Explains ‘Gothic’ Vibe of Movie Poster
An upcoming documentary about Kanye West is coming to theaters in September. Filmed over the course of six years, In Whose Name? offers a candid look at the controversial rapper drawn from 3,000 hours of previously unseen footage.
‘In Whose Name?’ director says movie poster references Kanye West’s ‘transformation’
Directed by Nic Ballestros – who was just 18 when he began capturing Ye in some of his most intimate moments – the movie “examines the evolving nature of idolatry, both in Ye’s cultivation of public idolatry and in his pursuit of various idols, from luxury brands and celebrity to faith and family,” according to a press release. The just-released poster for the documentary, which features a shadowy image of West with one eye open, attempts to capture the complicated nature of its subject, Ballestros says.
“The poster draws from a moment in the film when Ye puts in contacts as part of his costume for the Donda 2 performance in Miami,” Ballesteros said. “For me, it symbolizes a transitional period in his life; living out of stadiums, with everything in flux, and shifting from the vibrant gospel era into a darker, more gothic phase. It’s also when he changed his name to Ye legally, marking both a personal and artistic transformation.”
Kanye West says he’s been ‘off my meds for five months now’ in trailer for new doc
Ballesteros’ film provides an unfiltered look at Ye, who in recent years has made more headlines for his controversial statements than for his music.
“I’m off my meds for five months now,” the Grammy-winner says in the trailer, just before an emotional Kim Kardashian confronts her then-husband about his mental health challenges.
“Your personality was not like this a few years ago,” she tearfully says.
“I’d rather be dead than on medication,” Ye says later. The teaser also features footage from West’s Sunday Services and his 2020 presidential campaign announcement, when he shared that he initially wanted Kardashian to have an abortion after he learned she was pregnant with their daughter, North.
“This film presents a raw and often unsettling portrait, without commentary or conclusion, leaving viewers to interpret the events for themselves, ” producer Simran A. Singh said. “Nico was living alongside Ye, camera in hand, not fully knowing what he was capturing or where it would lead, and that’s exactly what makes the footage so powerful.”
“There was no agenda, no filter; just real, raw moments,” Singh added. “Because of that, there’s a level of honesty you don’t usually get in documentaries. As things started to take shape, it became clear that Nico was the only one who could truly tell this story. He had the access, but more importantly, he had the perspective. He was inside the chaos but somehow still able to step back and find the story to make a movie.”
In Whose Name? opens in theaters on September 19.
For more news and exclusive interviews, follow Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s Instagram.
