**You Can See Everything** has emerged as the dominant early catalyst in the Best Documentary Feature race, with its surprise Telluride premiere, record $15 million opening weekend, and near-perfect scores (98% on Rotten Tomatoes, 99 Metacritic) prompting A24 to mount an aggressive campaign across Documentary Feature, Picture, Director, and multiple craft categories. No documentary has ever been nominated for Best Picture, yet its theatrical performance and Academy screenings have fueled speculation it could break that barrier while still competing in its core category. Other leading contenders include Naza, Once Upon a Time in Harlem, 14th, and Musk, with the Critics Choice Documentary Awards on November 8 offering the first major precursor signal. The documentary branch has trended toward international and timely nonfiction in recent cycles, though strong domestic momentum and guild attention could reshape the shortlist ahead of nominations.