Oscar Chances for A24's 'You Can See Everything': Why the Documentary Is Suddenly Contending in an Acting Category

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Oscar Chances for A24's 'You Can See Everything': Why the Documentary Is Suddenly Contending in an Acting Category.

The Oscar season has started early — and one of the most unusual contenders this year comes from the documentary camp. A24's You Can See Everything is already being talked about for multiple award categories, according to the industry portal Deadline — including, surprisingly, an acting category.

If you're wondering what's behind the hype: The film comes from directors Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim. Their joint work deals with the story of Elizabeth Holmes and clocks in at just under three hours — significantly longer than most documentaries. What exactly is supposed to convince the Academy in the end cannot be deduced from the material available so far.

The kickoff was a one-time screening at the Telluride Film Festival over the Labor Day weekend. The screening event was kept strictly secret, according to Deadline — no trailer, no pre-published reviews, no regular press screenings. Nevertheless, the film has been one of the most discussed works on this year's award circuit since that screening. If you're keeping an eye on award season, this is a name you should remember.

Why an Acting Category of All Things?

The fact that a documentary is being brought into the conversation for an acting category is unusual. Such categories are usually reserved for feature films. The fact that the makers are still positioning their film in this context raises questions — and could be a sign of how closely You Can See Everything tells its story along feature film aesthetics.

Which specific category is meant — whether Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, or another — and which person could ultimately be in the conversation is not clear from the Deadline coverage. However, the article's spoiler note explicitly mentions "characters/actors" — which confirms that the film goes beyond pure archival material.

What's Established So Far — and What Isn't

What's confirmed: A24 is producing a documentary that's already shaping the Oscar conversation before its official theatrical release. That's unusual and underscores the attention it's receiving in the industry. With Fielder and Oppenheim, two directors are behind it who frame the project in a narratively elaborate, nearly three-hour structure.

What remains open is in which specific categories the film will ultimately compete, which actress or actor could even come into question for a nomination, and how the Academy itself will respond to the attempt to place a documentary in an acting category. Answers are likely to follow only in the coming weeks, when the film receives a regular release date — until then, it means for you: stay on the ball.