A24 Documentary 'You Can See Everything' Sweeps Critics Choice Awards
The Elizabeth Holmes film dominates awards while achieving historic domestic box office success.
1Complete Awards Sweep
The documentary You Can See Everything achieved a perfect sweep at the 2026 Critics Choice Documentary Awards. Directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, the film won all five categories for which it was nominated, including the top prize for Best Documentary Feature at the Edison Ballroom ceremony.
2Technical Excellence Recognized
Beyond the top feature award, the production secured wins across key technical categories. David Bolen received the award for Best Cinematography, while Adam Locke-Norton was honored for Best Editing. Additionally, Ari Balouzian won for Best Score, highlighting the collaborative creative effort behind this portrait of disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes.
3Box Office Milestone
The film has grossed nearly $80 million at the domestic box office, marking a significant financial achievement for A24. It now ranks as the studio's third-highest-grossing domestic release, surpassing the $77 million haul of Everything Everywhere All at Once. This performance cements its status as a major commercial success.
4Documentary Genre Standing
With $79.8 million in domestic earnings, the project has overtaken March of the Penguins to become one of the highest-grossing documentaries in North American history. It currently trails only Fahrenheit 9/11, excluding music-focused concert films like Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, which reached significantly higher totals in their theatrical runs.
5Production and Profitability
Produced on a modest $7 million budget, the film is already considered wildly profitable for A24. While international distribution remains limited, the domestic success has placed directors Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim in high demand. The film's narrative focuses on the final days of Elizabeth Holmes before her imprisonment.
6Oscar Campaign Ambitions
A24 is aggressively campaigning for the film to receive nominations for both Best Documentary and Best Picture. If it secures a Best Picture nod, it would be the first documentary to achieve this feat. However, historical data shows the Critics Choice and Academy often diverge on documentary winners.
7Other Notable Winners
David Greaves' Once Upon a Time in Harlem secured three awards, including Best First Documentary Feature. Alex Gibney’s four-hour examination, Musk, won Best Biographical Drama, while the Israel-Gaza war documentary NAZA took home the Best Political Drama award. Nuisance Bear was recognized as the Best Science/Nature documentary of the year.
8Awards Night Context
The 11th annual ceremony, hosted by Ross Mathews, also honored industry veterans. Ron Howard received the Critics Choice Impact Award, while Jehane Noujaim was presented with the Pennebaker Award for lifetime achievement. The event highlighted the diverse storytelling approaches and innovation currently shaping the nonfiction film landscape across the industry.
9Competitive Landscape
Ava DuVernay’s 14th entered the evening as the frontrunner with six nominations but ultimately left the ceremony without any wins. This outcome underscores the unpredictable nature of the awards circuit, where even highly anticipated projects can be shut out by the voting body despite strong critical reception and industry buzz.
10International Market Uncertainty
While the film has dominated domestic theaters, its global performance remains an open question. It has yet to open in many overseas territories, leaving analysts unsure if the specific details of the Elizabeth Holmes fraud case will resonate with international audiences as effectively as they have with North American viewers.
11Future Industry Outlook
The success of this documentary reflects a broader trend of high-profile nonfiction films competing for mainstream attention. As A24 continues its hot streak with diverse releases, the industry is watching to see if this momentum translates into Academy Award recognition, potentially setting a new precedent for documentary feature film prestige.