Elizabeth Holmes: A24's Secret Documentary Revealed
Elizabeth Holmes: el documental secreto de A24
Sep 8, 2026·1 min read·Graded Spanish · word-by-word audio
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Durante años circuló el rumor de que el comediante Nathan Fielder había estado entrevistando a Elizabeth Holmes, la fundadora de Theranos, para un documental secreto. Ese documental existe y se titula 'You Can See Everything'. Se proyectó por sorpresa en el Festival de Cine de Telluride y se estrenará internacionalmente este otoño.
El documental, dirigido por Nathan Fielder y Lance Oppenheim, muestra los 34 días antes de que Holmes fuera enviada a prisión. La sinopsis dice que ella invita a un equipo de filmación escéptico a documentar cada uno de sus movimientos. A24 describe el filme como un viaje alucinante de tres años hacia el abismo.
No es la primera vez que Hollywood intenta contar la historia de Holmes. La miniserie 'The Dropout' (2022) protagonizada por Amanda Seyfried ya narró su caída. Además, el documental 'The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley' (2019) también exploró su capacidad para el engaño. Holmes ingresó en prisión en mayo de 2023.
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Watch out, English speaker
English speakers often use the simple past ('Nathan Fielder interviewed') where Spanish requires the past perfect ('había entrevistado') to show an action completed before another past event. In English, the past perfect is optional or replaced by context; in Spanish, it's essential for clear sequencing.
Spanish passive voice with 'ser + past participle' is more common in news than in English, which often prefers active voice or 'get' passives. For example, 'fue condenada' translates naturally as 'she was sentenced,' but English speakers might say 'they sentenced her,' missing the focus on the receiver. Also, Spanish passive agrees in gender and number, so 'condenada' changes with the subject.
Key vocabulary
rumorm.
rumor, hearsay
“Circuló el rumor de que la empresa quebraría.”— The rumor circulated that the company would go bankrupt.
Pattern circular un rumor: to spread a rumor
Compare habladuría (f.) gossip
Plural: rumores
💡 From Latin 'rumor', cognate with English 'rumor'.
documentalm.
documentary
“El documental muestra la vida en el Ártico.”— The documentary shows life in the Arctic.
Pattern un documental sobre: a documentary about...
Compare película documental documentary film
Plural: documentales
💡 Derived from 'documento' (document), corresponding to English 'documentary'.
estafarv.
to scam, swindle
“El empresario estafó a miles de inversores.”— The businessman scammed thousands of investors.
Pattern estafar a alguien: to deceive someone
Compare defraudar to defraud
Past: estafó; participle: estafado
💡 From the same root as 'estafa' (scam), often appearing in legal contexts.
análisism.
analysis, test
“El médico pidió un análisis de orina.”— The doctor ordered a urine test.
Pattern análisis de sangre: blood test
Compare examen (m.) examination
Same form singular and plural: los análisis
💡 From Greek 'analysis', note the stress on 'a'.
gotaf.
drop
“Solo necesito una gota de tu sangre.”— I only need a drop of your blood.
Pattern una gota de sangre: a drop of blood
Compare pizca (f.) a small amount
Plural: gotas
💡 Related to the verb 'gotear' (to drip).
fraudem.
fraud
“El fraude fue descubierto por un periodista.”— The fraud was discovered by a journalist.
Pattern fraude masivo: massive fraud
Compare engaño (m.) deception
Plural: fraudes
💡 From Latin 'fraus', cognate with English 'fraud'.
inversorm./f.
investor
“Los inversores perdieron millones de dólares.”— The investors lost millions of dollars.
Pattern inversor privado: private investor
Compare accionista (m./f.) shareholder
Feminine: inversora; plural: inversores
💡 Derived from the verb 'invertir' (to invest), the suffix '-or' indicates the agent.
condenarv.
to convict, sentence
“El juez la condenó a diez años de cárcel.”— The judge sentenced her to ten years in prison.
Pattern condenar a prisión: to sentence to prison
Compare sentenciar to sentence
Past: condenó; participle: condenado
💡 Composed of the prefix 'con-' and 'denar' (from Latin 'damnare').
sinopsisf.
synopsis, summary
“La sinopsis no revela el final.”— The synopsis doesn't reveal the ending.
Pattern la sinopsis de la película: the movie synopsis
Compare resumen (m.) summary
Same form singular and plural: las sinopsis
💡 From Greek 'synopsis', meaning 'overview'.
escépticoadj.
skeptical
“Los científicos son escépticos sobre el nuevo tratamiento.”— Scientists are skeptical about the new treatment.
Pattern equipo escéptico: skeptical team
Compare incrédulo disbelieving
Feminine: escéptica; plural: escépticos
💡 From Greek 'skeptikos', cognate with English 'skeptic'.
abismom.
abyss
“La empresa cayó en un abismo de deudas.”— The company fell into an abyss of debt.
Pattern hacia el abismo: toward the abyss
Compare precipicio (m.) cliff
Plural: abismos
💡 From Greek 'abyssos', meaning 'bottomless'.
caídaf.
fall, collapse
“La caída de la empresa fue rápida.”— The company's collapse was swift.
Pattern su caída en desgracia: his fall from grace
Compare derrumbe (m.) collapse
Plural: caídas
💡 Derived from the verb 'caer' (to fall).
Grammar spotlight
Past perfect: había + past participle
B1
Used to describe an action that was completed before another point in the past, often to give background information in a narrative.
“Nathan Fielder había estado entrevistando a Elizabeth Holmes.”— Nathan Fielder had been interviewing Elizabeth Holmes.
⚠️ Don't confuse it with the simple past; the past perfect emphasizes 'the past of the past'.
Passive voice: ser + past participle
A2
Used to emphasize the receiver of the action rather than the doer. For example, 'fue condenada' (she was sentenced).
“Holmes fue condenada a más de 11 años de prisión.”— Holmes was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison.
⚠️ Make sure the past participle agrees in gender and number with the subject, e.g., 'condenada' is feminine singular.
Sentence patterns to steal
Durante años circuló el rumor de que el comediante Nathan Fielder había estado entrevistando a Elizabeth Holmes.
For years, there was a rumor that comedian Nathan Fielder had been interviewing Elizabeth Holmes.
Durante años circuló el rumor de que + clause'Durante años' can be replaced with other time expressions such as 'Desde entonces'.
Theranos era una empresa de tecnología sanitaria que prometía revolucionar los análisis de sangre con una sola gota.
Theranos was a health technology company that promised to revolutionize blood testing with a single drop.
ser una empresa que + verb (describing characteristics)'empresa' can be replaced with 'organización', 'startup', etc.
No es la primera vez que Hollywood intenta contar la historia de Holmes.
This is not the first time Hollywood has tried to tell Holmes's story.
No es la primera vez que + subject + verb'Hollywood' can be replaced with other people or institutions.
A24 describe el filme como un viaje alucinante de tres años hacia el abismo.
A24 describes the film as a mind-bending three-year journey into the abyss.
describir algo como + noun phrase'describe' can be replaced with 'define', 'califica', etc.
La sinopsis dice que ella invita a un equipo de filmación escéptico a documentar cada uno de sus movimientos.
The synopsis says that she invites a skeptical film crew to document her every move.
invitar a alguien a + infinitive'invita' can be replaced with 'convence', 'anima', etc.
Theranos and Silicon Valley Culture
Theranos was once a star startup in Silicon Valley, and its founder, Elizabeth Holmes, was called the 'female Steve Jobs.' This case reflects Silicon Valley's 'fake it till you make it' culture and has sparked discussions about regulating startups.