Not only is it the biggest nonfiction film hit of the year, but You Can See Everything has also now been named the best documentary of 2026 by the Critics Choice Association. Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s film won in all five categories in which it was nominated at the 11th annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards, including Best Documentary Feature. The other four honors went to Fielder and Oppenheim for Best Director, David Bolen for Best Cinematography, Adam Locke-Norton for Best Editing, and Ari Balouzian for Best Score.
Other noteworthy wins include Ben Proudfoot and Stephen Curry winning Best Short Documentary for The Baddest Speechwriter of All. This was the NBA star’s directorial debut, while this is Proudfoot’s third win in this category. He previously won in 2021 for The Queen of Basketball and in 2023 (with Kris Bowers) for The Last Repair Shop. Both of those films went on to win the Oscar for Best Documentary Short Film. Another return winner was Nuisance Bear, which took the award for Best Science/Nature Documentary. Gabriela Osio Vanden and Jack Weisman’s feature debut is an adaptation of their short of the same name, which won the Critics Choice Award for Best Short Documentary in 2022.
As VP of Documentary for the Critics Choice Association, I was one of the executive producers of the awards, and I shared a quote about the winners in a press release:
“This year’s winners reflect the extraordinary creativity, ambition, and innovation shaping documentary filmmaking today. From bold new storytelling approaches that have expanded the reach of nonfiction films and brought new audiences to the genre, to filmmakers who tackle pressing political and social issues, to those who return to compelling stories to explore them in greater depth, this year’s nominees demonstrate the limitless possibilities of the documentary form. We are thrilled to celebrate the remarkable talent and diverse perspectives that continue to shape the exciting future of documentary filmmaking.”
Here’s the full list of winners at the 11th Critics Choice Documentary Awards:
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
You Can See Everything (A24)
BEST DIRECTOR
Nathan Fielder & Lance Oppenheim – You Can See Everything (A24)
BEST FIRST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
David Greaves – Once Upon a Time in Harlem (Neon)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
David Bolen – You Can See Everything (A24)
BEST EDITING
Adam Locke-Norton – You Can See Everything (A24)
BEST NARRATION
The History of Concrete (Magnolia Pictures)
Written and Performed by John Wilson
BEST SCORE
Ari Balouzian – You Can See Everything (A24)
BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert (Neon)
BEST POLITICAL DOCUMENTARY
NAZA (Neon)
BEST HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY
Once Upon a Time in Harlem (Neon)
BEST BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTARY
Musk (Bleecker Street)
BEST ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTARY
Once Upon a Time in Harlem (Neon)
BEST SCIENCE/NATURE DOCUMENTARY
Nuisance Bear (Mubi)
BEST SPORTS DOCUMENTARY
Everest: The Other Side (National Geographic Documentary Films)
BEST TRUE CRIME DOCUMENTARY (TIE)
The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare (Netflix)
Lost Women of Alaska (Investigation Discovery)
BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY
The Baddest Speechwriter of All (Netflix)
BEST LIMITED DOCUMENTARY SERIES
Lion (National Geographic)
BEST ONGOING DOCUMENTARY SERIES
30 for 30 (ESPN)