Orwell: 2+2=5

Orwell's voice remains startlingly prescient, and this documentary shows why his warnings still land today. Raoul Peck assembles a mosaic of archival clips, passages from his diary, cinema cues, and contemporary footage to illuminate the man behind 1984 and Animal Farm. Rather than a straight biography, the film crafts a layered portrait that connects Orwell's private observations with the public debates his books sparked. Through careful juxtaposition, it invites viewers to reconsider how themes of censorship, surveillance, and propaganda echo in modern politics while keeping the focus on Orwell's own ideas and humanity. Its structure mirrors how memory competes with propaganda, inviting viewers to question what they think they know. This approach makes the writer feel immediate, not distant anymore.

Directed by Raoul Peck, this 2025 documentary uses Orwell's diaries, essays and novels as its source material, weaving readings with archival footage, interviews and cinematic references. It presents a thoughtful portrait that situates the writer's warnings inside current political dialogues.

Box office revenue stands at $355,288, reflecting a limited release and a documentary niche audience. Despite the modest numbers, the film sparked attention in scholarly and cinephile circles, catalyzing debate about Orwell's relevance today. Festival showings accompanied its wider release.

Viewers are invited to see Orwell through a modern lens: the film argues that his warnings about totalitarian control, surveillance and language manipulation still resonate in democracies today. It pairs intimate diary excerpts with contemporary footage to connect past ideas to present debates about truth, power and conscience and democracy.

Through its mix of archive voices and modern scenes, the film underscores how Orwell's ideas linger in public discourse. By drawing lines between past and present political rhetoric and imagery of censorship, it reinforces why 1984 remains a touchstone for students, journalists and policy makers and future generations worldwide today.