Orwell: 2+2=5

Anyone who ventures into public spaces knows that they are being watched almost constantly by security cameras, or in other words: ‘Big Brother is watching you’. This ominous statement comes from 1984, the dystopian novel by British author George Orwell, which he wrote between 1946 and 1948. In it, he sketches a one-party state in which the government controls every aspect of its citizens' lives. If the Party says that two plus two equals five, then no one is ever allowed to question it.

Orwell had a prophetic vision, according to director Raoul Peck (I Am Not Your Negro) in this poignant documentary, a vision he underscores by having Orwell look back on his life through letters and diary excerpts. Anyone who sees how world leaders distort the facts with the greatest of ease cannot help but conclude that Orwell saw everything very clearly. Actor Damien Lewis lends his voice to Orwell.