Tech scammer Elizabeth Holmes focus of documentary by absurdist Nathan Fielder

A new documentary chronicling the final month of disgraced Silicon Valley startup founder Elizabeth Holmes' life, filmed just 34 days before her prison sentence, is set to be released in US theaters on October 16. The film, directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, offers a unique and intimate look at Holmes' reclusive existence during the month before her incarceration for fraud at her now-defunct health technology company Theranos.

The project took Silicon Valley by storm in the early 2010s, as young entrepreneur Holmes attracted investors, including Henry Kissinger, Carlos Slim, and Rupert Murdoch, with Theranos' promise of medical tests using only a few drops of blood. However, her fall was just as rapid, culminating in a sensational trial and a 2022 sentencing to over 11 years in prison for fraud and conspiracy.

The documentary, titled "You Can See Everything," debuted at the Telluride Film Festival in September and has already garnered high praise. Fielder, known for his awkward, cringe-worthy, and deadpan comedic style, and Oppenheim decided to document Holmes' life after she invited them into her California home, despite neither Holmes nor her partner Billy Evans being familiar with Fielder's work.

The film portrays Holmes' daily life with her partner and their two children, resulting in a blend of documentary and reality television. The filmmakers, who include close-up shots of Fielder and Holmes, have created moments that have become meme-worthy and have drawn laughter, gasps, and applause from audiences. The directors described the experience as "really sad and hard" at times, with Fielder admitting he is still unsure of what he witnessed and excited for more people to see the documentary.