A new documentary explores Kanye West's mental health like never before. Shot by Nico Ballestros, the filmmaker trailed West for six years, capturing his deteriorating marriage with Kim Kardashian, the loss of sponsorships, and all sorts of notorious declarations that have made headlines over the past years.
"In Whose Name?" has shared its first teaser trailer, shedding light on West's inner world. In the clip, Kardashian can be seen and heard a couple of times, visibly struggling with West. "Your personality was not like this a few years ago," she says tearfully.
At the start of the clip, West is seen sharing that he stopped taking his medication, and the toll that took on his relationships and businesses. “I’m off my meds for five months now,” he says.
Throughout the trailer, West makes some explosive statements. “I would rather be dead than be on medication," he says. "I’m almost like a masochist… I write whatever I want when I want! It’s words!”
The teaser shows West's family life, his kids, and his businesses, including meetings for his Yeezy brand. You can check out the teaser below.
The subject of mental health has come up again and again for West, who's discussed living with bipolar disorder in his art and on various instances. In 2020, Kardashian discussed West's health with the public for the first time, asking for compassion from the world. "As many of you know, Kanye has bi-polar disorder," read her statement. "Anyone who has this or has a loved one in their life who does, knows how incredibly complicated and painful it is to understand."
"Those that understand mental illness or even compulsive behavior know that the family is powerless unless the member is a minor," she continued. "People who are unaware or far removed from this experience can be judgmental and not understand that the individual themselves have to engage in the process of getting help no matter how hard family and friends try."
Kardashian filed for divorce a year later. In February of this year, West claimed that he was diagnosed with autism and had been misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder.
More details about the film
An official synopsis of "In Whose Name?" reveals that Ballesteros captured West's "brilliance and breakdowns, triumphs and turmoil; but also observed the paranoia and intensity that increasingly shaped Ye’s world." Ballestros began shooting the documentary when he was 18 years old, capturing over 3,000 hours of footage of West and his life. The film serves as his directorial debut.
“In the end, Ballesteros captured not just a portrait of Ye, but a reflection of the human condition in all its contradictions. The camera never blinks as Ye speaks candidly about living with bipolar disorder, offering rare insight into the realities of mental illness and its impact on identity, perception, and power. Through a personal lens, the film considers how mental health is handled – or left unspoken – among the weight of visibility and vulnerability.”
"In Whose Name?" premieres in theaters this September 19th.