Why techies went to a techie screening about Elizabeth Holmes—and whether they can stop laughing

A crowded screening

The event was due to begin at 7 p.m. By 6:40, attendees had gathered to talk about work and look at Extend’s custom stickers. The organizer, Bo Lau, works in developer relations for the company.

Lau had recently moved to New York and did not want to see the documentary alone. She posted about the screening on X, where she already had an audience through “Tech Twitter.” She said the event drew 1,400 RSVPs for about 120 seats.

Tickets were free, Lau said, and Extend received no return beyond brand awareness. She planned to travel to San Francisco soon to put on another screening.

Why Holmes drew interest

Lau said Holmes fascinates people in Silicon Valley and that director Fielder’s awkward humor resonated with the tech world. Holmes is often held up as an example of the industry’s tendency toward hype and deception.

Before the three-hour screening, attendees chatted about AI and which companies allowed remote work. One person had also built a simulator of Holmes’ desk, Lau’s recent project.

Reactions to the film

The audience showed little response to a plot development involving an AI version of Holmes, created by her fiancé after she goes to jail. The subdued reaction stood out to the reporter, who wondered whether tech workers were already accustomed to AI replicas.

A reveal about who runs Holmes’ X account prompted a much bigger gasp. The audience had learned about the screening through that platform. Afterward, the group went to a nearby wine bar. Two tech workers offered contrasting views: one felt sympathy for Holmes, then regretted that reaction; another saw the film as confirming that she was a psychopath.

Distance from Silicon Valley

The screening prompted a broader question: why are tech workers comfortable laughing at Holmes when her confident promises resemble those made by some young AI founders? One possible explanation, the reporter suggested, was that attendees viewed Holmes as shaped more by media coverage—including books, tabloid stories and a Hulu show—than by Silicon Valley itself.