Conclave

The beloved pope has died. That means a conclave must be held, a closed church meeting where all the cardinals meet in the Sistine Chapel in Rome to elect a new pope from among them. Cardinal Lawrence has to organise the conclave, a difficult job because factions always arise and agree all sorts of things beforehand to influence the outcome. He himself thinks the progressive Cardinal Bellini is the best candidate, but there are conservative forces at work, who will leave no stone unturned to thwart his election. Everything becomes even more complicated when Lawrence discovers that the previous pope was by no means a saint. Is the future of the Church at stake?

The election of a pope is something that appeals strongly to the imagination, as evidenced by the many films made about it, such as Habemus Papam (2011) and The Two Popes (2019). Director Edward Berger has translated this theme into this rock-solid thriller, carried by an equally strong cast including Ralph Fiennes, John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci and Isabella Rossellini. Based on the eponymous novel by Robert Harris.