A mystery documentary, charting Kanye West‘s public transformation to Ye, is currently in the works.
Entitled In Whose Name?, the project has reportedly been shooting in secrecy for the past six years and features never-before-seen footage.
According to the official description, the film “promises to offer a unique and cinematic perspective on Ye’s public transformation” – West changed his name to Ye back in 2021.
In Whose Name? will be launched by Goodfellas and Utopia at the American Film Market, with an exclusive promo reel screening on November 7.
The synopsis reads: “With a billion-dollar budget and a commitment to truth, Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, invites 18-year-old Nicolas Ballesteros armed with an iPhone on a six-year journey revealing unfiltered aspects of celebrity life which confront the provocative opinions, grand visions and bold contrarianism that defined him as the world’s most controversial artist.
“The film follows Ye’s ascent to becoming the richest Black man in American history while uncovering why the superstar risked everything he had built in the name of freedom. Examining the culture that birthed the star, In Whose Name? explores the overlapping influences of corporate exploitation, racial complexities and psychological struggles inherent in the American dream.”
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In a joint statement, Marie Zeniter, vice president of sales at Utopia, and Eva Diederix, head of sales at Goodfellas, said: “We’re thrilled to present In Whose Name? at AFM.
“This powerful documentary offers an unfiltered view without narration, it invites audiences to draw their own conclusions on themes of fame, religion and power. We believe audiences globally deserve the chance to witness how one of the world’s most influential figures navigates the complexities and contradictions of celebrity.”
In recent years, West/Ye has become less known for his music and more for a series of incidents and controversies, including his highly publicised divorce from Kim Kardashian, his unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2020, and several antisemitic statements he made that saw him lose various sponsorships and contracts.
None of this is mentioned in the synopsis and, according to Variety, the team behind the documentary is keeping the contents of the film firmly under wraps. However, given the timeframe in which the film covers, it’s expected to address the controversies in some way.
News of the new documentary comes a few weeks after West’s ex-assistant alleged in a lawsuit that he sexually assaulted her. The rapper has called the accusations “baseless”, and announced his intention to countersue.