Holmes documentary chases Oscar history with best picture bid

A documentary about Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes is aiming to do what no nonfiction film has done in 98 Oscar ceremonies: win a nomination for best picture.

A24 will submit You Can See Everything for best picture at the 99th Academy Awards, as well as best documentary feature, the Academy's prize for nonfiction film, Variety reported on Oct. 19. The move sets up an unusually broad campaign that spans top prizes, craft categories and acting races.

The film is directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim. It follows Holmes through the 34 days before she reported to prison, and continues afterwards. It had a surprise world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival.

The early response has been loud. The film opened to $15 million over its opening weekend. As of Oct. 19, it held a 99 on Metacritic, 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, 4.7 out of 5 on Letterboxd and 9.4 on IMDb, according to the same report.

For best picture, the credited producers will be Fielder, Oppenheim, Tatiana Bears, Maggie Ambrose and Jack Davis. The film will also be submitted for director, production design, cinematography, costume design, film editing, makeup and hairstyling, sound and original score.

No documentary has ever been nominated for best picture. That is the barrier. The Academy has handed out its top prize 98 times without a nonfiction nominee.

The acting plan is the twist. Amanda Seyfried, credited as Elizabeth Holmes, is eligible in the Academy's acting categories, Variety confirmed exclusively after Telluride. She will be campaigned in supporting actress for playing both herself and Holmes. Seyfried was previously nominated for Mank (2020).

Christopher Abbott appears as Holmes' spouse Billy Evans in recreated scenes. He is eligible for supporting actor consideration.

The campaign reaches beyond the Oscars. The film is eligible across the board at the Critics Choice Awards, including in acting races. It is not eligible for the Golden Globes under current written rules, because the Globes do not recognise documentaries.

What makes this stand out is the mix of real life and reconstruction. A documentary feature is competing as a documentary while its performers compete as actors, which tests how awards bodies draw the line between fact and staging.