The Bunker – News without the nonsense A picture of the future – A new movie captures what George Orwell knew about 2026
Mar 25, 2026
Dorian Lynskey, author and Orwell specialist, explores how Raoul Peck’s new documentary links 1984 and Animal Farm to today’s data-driven manipulation. He discusses the film’s collage style, its cinematic power, and where the Orwell connections feel stretched. Lynskey also examines surveillance, truth erosion, collective self-deception, and how adaptations shape our image of Orwell.
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Orwellian Misuse Hides Deeper Relevance
- The word Orwellian is widely abused in 2026 but Orwell's ideas are more relevant than ever.
- Raoul Peck's film Orwell 2+2=5 links Orwell's life and writings to contemporary surveillance, disinformation and authoritarian trends.
Film Uses Orwell As A Libretto To Link Past And Present
- Raoul Peck stages Orwell's words like a libretto, layering biography, archival clips and slogans from 1984.
- The collage sometimes fails to connect dots but when it works it creates powerful parallels between past and present.
Truth Is Being Undermined From The Bottom Up
- A key modern shift is bottom-up demolition of truth: people actively create and share false realities.
- Dorian cites deepfakes and fabricated clips (e.g., fake Clarkson–Starmer fight) as examples of self-inflicted disinformation.
