“You Can See Everything” Sweeps 2026 Critics Choice Doc Awards

“You Can See Everything” walked away with every single award it was nominated for at the 2026 Critics Choice Documentary Awards. The film, which focuses on Elizabeth Holmes, earned five nominations and turned all five into wins at the Sunday ceremony. A clean sweep like this is rare at any awards show, and it instantly made the A24 release the biggest story of the evening for fans of nonfiction film.

The documentary was directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, two filmmakers known for bold and unusual storytelling. Their work on this project has drawn strong attention from critics and audiences since its first screening. The Critics Choice wins also mark the first major awards for the film, which makes the sweep feel like an important turning point for a movie that has already built a lot of momentum in a short time.

Via Fan Bolt

The 11th annual ceremony took place at the Edison Ballroom in New York and was hosted by television personality Ross Mathews. The event celebrated the best documentaries and docuseries of the year across many categories, from music and sports to true crime and politics. Even with so many strong contenders in the room, You Can See Everything stood out as the clear favorite by the end of the night.

From Surprise Screening to Box Office Hit

The journey of You Can See Everything began a little over two months before the awards. The film debuted with a surprise screening at the Telluride Film Festival, which created instant buzz among critics and festival guests. Surprise screenings often build excitement because audiences have no idea what they are about to see, and this one quickly got people talking about the film and its subject.

Via The Hollywood Reporter

After Telluride, the documentary moved on to a high-profile screening at the New York Film Festival. Interest kept growing as more viewers and critics shared their reactions. By the time the film reached theaters on October 16, it had already become one of the most anticipated documentaries of the year. That kind of steady build is something many filmmakers hope for, but few actually achieve with a nonfiction release.

Once it opened in theaters, the film performed far beyond normal expectations for a documentary. It has earned nearly $80 million at the domestic box office, placing it among the highest-grossing documentaries ever. Only Fahrenheit 9/11 and Everest sit ahead of it on the domestic list. Worldwide, it ranks a bit lower for now, but the movie still has not opened in many overseas markets, so its total could keep climbing.

Via Variety 

Every Award the Film Took Home

The biggest prize of the night, best documentary feature, went to You Can See Everything. The film beat a strong group of nominees, including 14th, Musk, NAZA, Once Upon a Time in Harlem, The History of Concrete and Everest: The Other Side. Winning the top award against such a talented field shows how much critics admired the full package of storytelling, style, and impact that the film delivered.

Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim also won best director. They competed against well-known names such as Ava DuVernay for 14th, Ross McElwee for Remake, and Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor for NAZA. The win highlights how their creative choices shaped the film from start to finish. For a project about a public figure with such a widely known story, finding a fresh way to tell it was a major achievement.

Via The Hollywood Reporter

The film’s technical team was recognized as well. David Bolen won best cinematography, Adam Locke-Norton took home best editing, and Ari Balouzian won best music score. These three awards show that the film’s success was not only about its subject. The look of the movie, the way scenes were cut together, and the music behind them all helped create an experience that critics clearly felt was the best of the year.

Once Upon a Time in Harlem and Other Big Winners

Once Upon a Time in Harlem also had a great night. Like You Can See Everything, the Neon release came into the evening with five nominations, and it left with three wins. David Greaves won Best First Documentary Feature, and the film also earned Best Historical Documentary and Best Archival Documentary. Those wins show how much voters valued its careful use of past footage to bring an important chapter of history back to life.

Via TIME

Nuisance Bear, another five-time nominee, won best science and nature documentary. The film beat several National Geographic titles in that category, including Lion, Ghost Elephants and Secrets of the Bees. Several four-time nominees also found success. John Wilson’s The History of Concrete won best narration, with Wilson both writing and performing the voiceover himself, which added a personal touch that critics clearly enjoyed.

Other four-time nominees also earned trophies. Everest: The Other Side won best sports documentary, EPIC: Elvis Presley in Concert from Baz Luhrmann won best music documentary, and Lion won best limited documentary series. Musk, Alex Gibney’s four-hour look at Elon Musk, won best biographical documentary. NAZA, a controversial film about the Israel-Gaza war, was named best political documentary, showing the wide range of subjects honored this year.

Via International Documentary Association 

Snubs, Ties and Surprises

One of the biggest talking points of the night was the result for 14th. Ava DuVernay’s documentary entered the ceremony with six nominations, more than any other title. Despite that strong showing on paper, the Netflix film did not win a single award. Its nominations covered best documentary feature, best director, best editing, best score, best political documentary and best historical documentary, but other films claimed every one of those prizes.

The true crime category produced a rare tie. The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare from Netflix and Lost Women of Alaska from Investigation Discovery shared the award for best true crime documentary. Ties do not happen often at awards shows, so this result stood out. It also shows how strong the true crime field was this year, with both titles earning enough support to finish level at the very top.

Via Yahoo 

Television and short films had their own winners too. ESPN’s 30 for 30 won best ongoing documentary series, beating long-running shows such as American Masters and Independent Lens. In the short film category, The Baddest Speechwriter of All from Netflix took the top prize. These wins show that strong documentary storytelling can come in many forms, from a short film to a series that has been running for years.

Ron Howard and Jehane Noujaim Receive Special Honors

Beyond the competitive categories, the ceremony also celebrated two respected filmmakers. Ron Howard received the Critics Choice Impact Award. Howard is best known for his work as a director of major Hollywood movies, but he has also made a strong mark in the documentary world. The award recognized his influence on nonfiction filmmaking and the way his projects have reached large audiences.

Via The Hollywood Reporter

Jehane Noujaim was honored with the Pennebaker Award, which serves as the event’s lifetime achievement prize. The award is named after D.A. Pennebaker, a legendary figure in documentary film. Noujaim has built a career telling powerful real-life stories, and the honor reflects the lasting impact of her work. Receiving a lifetime achievement award is a sign that her films have shaped the genre over many years.

These special honors added a meaningful layer to the night. While the competitive awards focused on films released this year, the Impact Award and the Pennebaker Award looked at the bigger picture. They reminded the audience that documentary filmmaking is built on the work of people who have spent years pushing the form forward and inspiring the next generation of storytellers.

Via Gold Derby 

Critics Choice Association About the Winners

Christopher Campbell, vice president of documentary for the Critics Choice Association, shared his thoughts on this year’s winners in a statement. He described the group as a reflection of the creativity, ambition, and fresh ideas shaping documentary filmmaking today. 

His comments made it clear that the organization saw this year as an especially strong one for the genre as a whole. Campbell pointed to several types of films that stood out. He praised new storytelling approaches that have helped documentaries reach wider audiences and bring new viewers to the genre. 

Via The Hollywood Reporter 

He also highlighted filmmakers who take on urgent political and social issues, as well as those who return to familiar stories to explore them in more depth. That mix matches the wide range of winners seen throughout the night. He also said the nominees show how many possibilities the documentary form has. 

According to Campbell, the association was excited to celebrate the talent and different points of view that continue to shape the future of nonfiction film. His statement painted a hopeful picture of where documentaries are heading, with more audiences paying attention than ever before.

Via Rolling Stone Canada 

What This Means for the Oscar Race

The clean sweep at the Critics Choice Documentary Awards could give You Can See Everything an even stronger push heading into the Oscar season. Many industry watchers already expect the film to earn a nomination for best documentary feature at the Academy Awards. 

Via Rolling Stone 

Winning every category it entered at this ceremony only adds to that expectation and makes it look like one of the top contenders. There has also been talk that the film could go even further. Some have speculated that it might earn nominations for best picture and best supporting actress, which would be highly unusual for a documentary. 

If that happens, it would show just how much the film has crossed over from the documentary world into mainstream movie conversations, helped in large part by its impressive box office performance. For now, the Critics Choice Documentary Awards have given people a clear picture of which films are leading the conversation this year. 

Via The Atlantic 

You Can See Everything set the pace, Once Upon a Time in Harlem proved its strength, and many other titles earned well-deserved recognition. As awards season moves forward, movie fans will be watching closely to see whether these winners can repeat their success at bigger ceremonies ahead.