Now that Pope Francis has been laid to rest, there’s a renewed fascination with the centuries-old traditions of the Vatican. Eyes are turned toward the secretive process that will determine his successor, the new head of the Roman Catholic Church, set to begin on May 7.
It’s a deeply consequential moment, and one that plays out in the recent thriller Conclave.
Directed by Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front), Conclave centers on the election of a new pope after the reigning pope’s sudden death. Ralph Fiennes leads a powerhouse cast as a cardinal who finds himself at the center of a conspiracy during the papal election. John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini and Stanley Tucci all deliver memorable performances.
Based on a book by Robert Harris (Enigma, The Ghost), Conclave draws from real-life Vatican tradition, but cranks up the drama for entertainment value. The secrecy, the symbolism, the power struggles — they’re all
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