Awards

Nathan Fielder’s 'You Can See Everything' and Its Uncertain Award Eligibility

By Isla Kerr, Awards EditorApril 23, 2024

With its blurred lines between fiction and reality, Nathan Fielder's latest project raises questions about how to categorize and award it.

Nathan Fielder’s upcoming A24 documentary, 'You Can See Everything,' continues his tradition of merging staged scenarios with documentary-style filmmaking. Co-directed with Lance Oppenheim, the film features Fielder himself participating alongside its subject, Elizabeth Holmes. Its secretive nature and Fielder’s reputation for blurring reality with performance make it a challenging candidate for traditional awards. This ambiguity echoes his past work, like 'The Rehearsal,' which was submitted to Emmy categories as a comedy despite its documentary veneer. The film’s genre-bending nature could complicate its awards campaign, especially in major categories.

Fielder’s history with awards shows that his projects often defy neat categorization. His series 'Nathan for You' was considered a comedy, though it involved real-world consequences like the infamous Dumb Starbucks stunt, blurring the line between performance and reality. Similarly, 'The Curse,' his Showtime series with Emma Stone and Benny Safdie, was submitted as a drama but was perceived as something stranger. Fielder’s work consistently pushes boundaries, making it difficult for awards bodies to decide whether he belongs in comedy, drama, or documentary categories. This pattern suggests that 'You Can See Everything' might face similar eligibility questions.

The key question around 'You Can See Everything' is whether Fielder’s role is more that of a performer or a documentarian. Past submissions for his work, such as the Emmy-nominated episode 'Pilot’s Code' from 'The Rehearsal,' saw Fielder recognized for his writing and directing in comedy categories, even as he was also nominated as a lead actor playing himself. This duality complicates how the film might be positioned during awards season. If Fielder is perceived as playing a character more than himself, the film could be eligible for acting awards, but the overall genre classification remains uncertain. More context: Indie film.

The broader debate about eligibility hinges on whether the film is considered a documentary, a comedy, or a hybrid. Critics and industry insiders suggest that the film’s approach—combining factual elements with staged scenarios—resonates with Fielder’s previous works that have oscillated between genres. The awards campaign would likely depend on how the film is marketed and interpreted by voters. Given Fielder’s track record, it’s plausible the film could be submitted in multiple categories, similar to how 'The Rehearsal' was handled, with some awards bodies potentially recognizing his acting, directing, or writing.

Ultimately, 'You Can See Everything' exemplifies Fielder’s unique place in contemporary cinema—an artist whose work refuses to fit conventional molds. Its eligibility for awards will depend heavily on how voters interpret its reality-bending nature, but a campaign that emphasizes Fielder’s performance and directorial vision could open doors in both comedy and documentary categories. As with his past projects, the film’s true awards potential may lie in how creatively it is championed rather than traditional genre boundaries.

AwardsIndie film