“Big Brother is watching you.” It sounds uncannily modern, but George Orwell wrote it back in 1949, in his dystopian satire 1984.
This urgent and poignant documentary revisits the life and legacy of an exceptional writer whose warnings feel more relevant than ever.
Genre: biography, documentary, history
Language: English, subtitles: Dutch
Length: 1 hr 59 mins
1949. As the world is still reeling from World War II, George Orwell finishes what will become his final, and most influential, novel: 1984.
In ORWELL: 2+2=5, filmmaker Raoul Peck zooms in on Orwell’s last months of life and the ideas that took shape during this intense period. The film unpacks the origins of concepts that still send shivers down our spines today: doublethink, thoughtcrime, Newspeak—and the ever-watchful presence of Big Brother.
What makes this documentary hit so hard is its urgency. Peck draws sharp lines from Orwell’s time to ours, weaving archival footage with striking images from the present day; from World War II to the age of deepfakes and resurgent authoritarianism. Political spin, alternative facts, and carefully crafted language shape our reality more than ever. Orwell didn’t just write a novel. He gave us a warning, and this film shows just how loudly it still echoes today.
Awards
It earned major recognition at the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards, winning Best Score and Best Narration, and leading the field with a total of seven nominations.
Reviews
“The writer became inspired to counteract his complicity in a corrupt system. The film inspires you to do the same.” Rolling Stone
“It’s dazzling and terrifying, a guide to a political movement that has been gathering steam for decades and shows no signs of letting up.” Slate
“Intricate and multi-layered, it covers a lot of territory in a runtime of roughly two hours; you might feel yourself racing to keep up with it.” TIME Magazine
SG & USE/ITEC registration
Please register for SG & USE/ITEC by scanning your student ID card at the venue.
More information about SG & USE/ITEC can be found here.
Ticket information
This film will be shown at Filmhuis De Zwarte Doos.
- Tickets must be purchased online in advance and can be bought by clicking the black “Order” button on this page.
- Cash or card payments are not accepted at the ticket counter.
For more information about tickets, refund policies, and other details, click here.
Please be on time
The screening of the film begin promptly at 19:30 (with no pre-film advertisements), and the cinema hall will open at 19:10. We kindly request that you arrive at the ticket counter at least 10 minutes before the start of the film to ensure a smooth and timely experience for all.
The Studium Generale film program is created in collaboration with the Student Film Committee and Natlab.