On November 12, the documentary You Can See Everything arrived in cinemas, capturing public attention with an unprecedented look at Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes during her final 34 days before entering federal prison.
Co-directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, the A24 release marks the disgraced executive’s first time speaking to the press since 2016, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The filmmakers and a crew of seven set up camp inside a rented Southern California beach house shared by Holmes and her partner, Billy Evans. Cameras positioned in the bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen recorded intimate domestic moments, including Holmes caring for her newborn daughter, Ivy. Throughout the footage, Holmes maintains her innocence regarding the fraud scheme that led to her conviction.
“Throughout, Holmes remains steadfast – and convincing guileless – about her innocence and her honesty,” The Conversation reported of the documentary’s intimate domestic framing.
Theranos Founder Domestic Reality
The project began when Holmes and Evans pitched the concept directly to production company A24, with Fielder joining the production later in the process. The documentary contrasts Holmes’ characteristic quiet confidence and unblinking gaze with vulnerable postpartum scenes. Fielder maintains an adversarial presence throughout, questioning her motives and statements from behind the camera.
The feature adopts an uncomfortable visual style defined by tight close-up zooms on subjects’ faces. In one recurring sequence, the camera cuts to Fielder sitting in his car with the windows up and music blasting, highlighting the artificiality of the observational setup.
Documentary Manipulation Ethics
The release triggers sharp questions regarding the boundaries of nonfiction filmmaking, as both subjects and creators specialize in manipulating truth. Fielder built his career on staged scenarios and absurd social experiments, notably in his HBO series The Rehearsal. His involvement alongside Holmes—who spent years deceiving investors and officials about Theranos blood-testing technology—turns the project into a layered exercise in deception.
“I’ve always thought that sincerity was overrated,” Fielder said in an episode of The Rehearsal quoted by The Conversation. “It just ends up punishing those of us who can’t perform it very well.”
The Hollywood Reporter said that the project leaves itself open to manipulation concerns, starting with the two camera setups tracking every unselfconscious reaction and Holmes’ coordination with crisis public relations specialists.
Holmes Pitched the Documentary to A24
Why did Elizabeth Holmes participate in You Can See Everything?
Holmes and her partner, Billy Evans, initiated the project by pitching the documentary concept directly to production company A24 during her final month of freedom before prison, marking her first media engagement since 2016.
Where was the documentary filmed?
Production took place inside a rented Southern California beach house where Holmes and Evans spent their final 34 days together before Holmes began serving her federal prison sentence.
Who directed the project?
The film was co-directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, combining Fielder’s history of experimental nonfiction comedy with Oppenheim’s observational style.
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