Choosing a New Pope: Will it be a Conclave as Always?

With the passing of Pope Francis, aged 88, attention turns to the process of selecting his successor. The 2024 film ‘Conclave,’ which portrays this procedure, has notably permeated public consciousness. In the wake of the Pope’s death, social media became inundated with both ‘Conclave’-themed memes and official news from Vatican City.

Based on Robert Harris’s 2016 book, the film centers on the contentious search for a new Pope. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), struggling with his own faith, becomes a key player, initially backing the progressive Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci).

This sets him against conservative Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto) and moderates like Cardinals Tremblay (John Lithgow) and Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati). Adding to the drama, Sister Agnes (Isabella Rossellini) holds vital, potentially damaging information about the vying candidates.

In a surprising turn, Cardinal Benitez (Carlos Diehz) of Kabul, secretly appointed by the late Pope, is elected. He holds the secret of being intersex. ‘Conclave’ achieved runaway box office success, raking in over $100 million globally and an Oscar for Peter Straughan’s adapted screenplay.

However, director Edward Berger has clarified that the film bears little resemblance to the actual, centuries-old papal selection process. Speaking to US Culture magazine, Vanity Fair, he emphasized that the movie is not an attack on the Church but rather an honest attempt to understand and portray the stories of its faithful.

As the prospect of a real conclave emerges, the movie’s depiction of the process – balancing its seriousness with its inherent absurdity, according to Vanity Fair’s Richard Lawson – has sparked considerable online discourse. Brían F. O’Byrne, who portrayed Cardinal Lawrence’s confidante in ‘Conclave,’ even participated, sharing a behind-the-scenes photo in costume with the enthusiastic message: “Here we go. We ready.”