SPOILER ALERT: This article contains significant spoilers for “You Can See Everything,” currently screening in theaters.
“You Can See Everything” is poised to revolutionize the Oscar race this year.
The A24 documentary from Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim chronicles the last 34 days before Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes surrendered to prison, continuing its narrative beyond that point. It opened impressively, raking in an astonishing $15 million over its debut weekend, an amount that most documentaries take months to achieve. It boasts a remarkable 99 on Metacritic, a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and impressively high scores of 4.7 on Letterboxd and 9.4 on IMDb (as of October 19). If this IMDb rating persists, it may eclipse “The Shawshank Redemption” (1994) to become the highest-rated film ever.
The film is not only vying for Best Documentary Feature at this year’s 99th Academy Awards but will also be submitted for several other categories, as detailed on A24’s awards site: Best Picture (Nathan Fielder, Lance Oppenheim, Tatiana Bears, Maggie Ambrose, and Jack Davis), Best Director (Fielder and Oppenheim), Best Production Design (Alex DiGerlando and Rebecca Meis), Best Cinematography (David Bolen), Best Costume Design (Katina Danabassis), Best Film Editing (Adam Locke-Norton), Best Makeup and Hairstyling (Stephanie Pasicov and Kerrie Smith), Best Sound (Paul Hsu and Richard Carlos), and Best Original Score (Ari Balouzian).
Variety has confirmed exclusively that following its unexpected world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival, Amanda Seyfried, who portrays Elizabeth Holmes in the film, qualifies for Academy Awards consideration. Seyfried, who reprises her Emmy-winning role as Holmes from “The Dropout,” is expected to compete in the Best Supporting Actress category. Should she receive a nomination, it would mark her second after “Mank” (2020), allowing her to achieve recognition for simultaneously embodying two roles: herself and the character for which she previously won an Emmy.
Fielder may also be considered for a performance award despite being credited as himself. If eligible, he would likely compete as Best Actor, a category in which no one has been nominated for playing themselves. The closest case was from another A24 film, “Sing Sing” (2023), where co-writer and star Clarence Maclin aimed for Best Supporting Actor consideration but ultimately did not receive a nomination.
Christopher Abbott, who portrays Holmes’ husband, Billy Evans, in the film’s reenactments, is also in the running for Best Supporting Actor.
Sources indicate that Seyfried will be the central focus of the acting campaign, regardless of the other potential nominations.
No documentary has ever secured a nomination for Best Picture throughout the oscars’ 98-year history, but the current sentiment suggests that this film has a real chance. However, the usual awards circuit will play a critical role in determining its success.
We are indeed navigating uncharted territory.
Golden Globes: Not eligible under current guidelines, but there may be a pathway.
The Golden Globes do not acknowledge documentaries for nominations, meaning no recognition for picture, director, or Seyfried. The film can’t be submitted in any category. However, due to the acting considerations, it’s possible the group may view it favorably this awards season. This raises another question: should the film be classified as a drama or a comedy/musical?
Critics Choice Awards: Fully eligible, including the acting categories.
This positions the Critics Choice Awards as the sole significant event this season where the performances in “You Can See Everything” might garner notable acclaim ahead of the Oscars.
Actor Awards: Not eligible, but exceptions may be made.
Known previously as the SAG Awards, this ceremony does not recognize documentaries, given that they are not narrative films, even in light of the narrative recreations present throughout this one. Seyfried’s chance for a Best Supporting Actress nomination seemed unlikely due to the absence of a precursor vote from her fellow actors. However, there are indications that the committee reviewing films is exploring the possibility of eligibility for this film.
BAFTA: Status remains uncertain, and prospects do not appear bright.
While film submission rules suggest eligibility for the top categories, sources indicate that BAFTA may not be inclined to accept it. Whether Seyfried and Fielder can contend in the acting categories remains ambiguous, but indications point to potential eligibility if voters choose to acknowledge it.
Writers Guild of America: Not eligible.
As there is no credited screenplay for the film, it does not qualify for the WGA’s award categories. This is not uncommon for documentaries, but it isn’t universal either. Notably, Michael Moore’s “Bowling for Columbine” won the WGA’s original screenplay award over two decades ago. Such won’t be the case for this film, hence “You Can See Everything” won’t contend for the Oscars’ original or adapted screenplay awards.
Directors Guild of America: Eligible in both main categories.
Here’s where the situation gets intriguing. The DGA features a distinct documentary category, while its main prize is designated for directors of theatrically released films. The eligibility of the DGA has sparked discussions, especially after RaMell Ross received a documentary feature nomination for “Hale County This Morning, This Evening” before entering his fictional debut, “Nickel Boys,” in the first-time feature director category of the DGA, which he eventually won.
Fielder is making his directorial debut for a documentary feature with this film, though Oppenheim does not share that status, as he previously directed “Spermworld” (2024) and “Some Kind of Heaven” (2020). Thus, the film isn’t eligible for the first-time feature director award. However, Oppenheim will make his narrative feature directorial debut with the A24 thriller “Primetime,” featuring Robert Pattinson, Merritt Wever, and Skyler Gisondo. He will compete for one of the DGA’s five slots in that category.
Crucially, under the current regulations, Fielder and Oppenheim can compete for the DGA’s top award, in addition to the documentary prize. This scenario potentially opens a door for them to claim slots typically reserved for Christopher Nolan (“The Odyssey”) or other directing pairs in contention, such as Los Javis (“La Bola Negra”) and Phil Lord and Chris Miller (“Project Hail Mary”).
ACE Eddies: Eligible.
The editing community’s representation separates theatrical feature films into four categories—drama, comedy, documentary, and animated. “You Can See Everything” must choose a category for submission. This dilemma was seen previously with Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s animated documentary “Flee” (2021), which opted for the documentary category and received a nomination from ACE Eddie.
ASC (American Society of Cinematographers): Eligible, but solely as a documentary.
In accordance with the highest award guidelines for cinematographers, “All Documentary Feature Films and Documentary Series Episodes must be submitted in the Documentary Award category.”
Producers Guild of America: Eligible for both the theatrical feature and documentary awards.
In summary, the film presents a unique and unconventional contender in this year’s awards season. Historically, Best Picture winners tend to assert themselves through guilds, alongside securing a PGA win, a DGA nomination, and possibly a Golden Globe or two along the way. “You Can See Everything” likely won’t feature at the Globes, where actors cannot nominate it, and it faces uncertainty with BAFTA. This leaves the DGA, PGA, and Critics Choice Awards as the primary venues where the film could secure a prestigious award and demonstrate its bid as a groundbreaking nominee or perhaps even something greater.
This scenario prompts a significant inquiry: What if this groundbreaking documentary not only secures a Best Picture nomination but also wins the ultimate accolade?
Several studios are positioning the competition as a David vs. Goliath narrative, where they seek to challenge Christopher Nolan’s billion-dollar spectacle “The Odyssey.” But what if it transforms into Odysseus versus Elizabeth Holmes?
A crucial note to emphasize: every voting body and guild establishes its own rules; thus, any determination is open to reevaluation. All these eligibility scenarios remain subject to modification.
Holmes once constructed a business on the premise that one test could provide insights into everything. With at least six prominent awards on the horizon, the current state of contention reveals an uncertainty on what is truly being evaluated.
Read more about this topic:
‘You Can See Everything’ Oscars Eligibility: Where It Can Compete
