In the shadow of his impending death, George Orwell reflects on a life dedicated to exposing power and manipulation. As his health declines, he feverishly works on his final and most prophetic novel: 1984. The famous quote from this book, “Big Brother is watching you,” could have been coined today, yet Orwell (the pseudonym of Eric Arthur Blair) wrote it back in 1949 in his dystopian satire.
Using diary entries and letters, director Raoul Peck lets Orwell himself (voiced by Damian Lewis) look back on his life in this compelling documentary. Orwell’s warnings about power, propaganda, and control remain alarmingly relevant.