1984 + intro by Lucy Bolton, Queen Mary University of London

Introduced by Lucy Bolton, Professor of Film and Philosophy at Queen Mary University of London, the screening of 1984 invites audiences to discover Burton’s final film.

Directed by Michael Radford and released in 1984, the adaptation of Orwell’s genre-defining dystopian novel casts Burton as the inscrutable Inner Party official O’Brien. Shot over the exact period specified by Orwell, the film was released two months after Burton’s death aged just 58. A chilling, refined and sobering performance, Burton’s portrayal was a moving swansong to a remarkable career.