What's happened
Edward Berger's film 'Conclave' delves into the secretive papal election process, featuring Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence. The movie, which premiered at the Rome Film Festival, highlights the political maneuvering and personal crises faced by cardinals as they vie for the papacy. It opened in theaters on October 25, 2024.
Why it matters
What the papers say
The Independent highlights the film's timely release during the Rome Film Festival, noting its close ties to current Vatican dynamics. According to the New York Times, the film's narrative is driven by the characters' hidden motives, particularly Cardinal Lawrence's unexpected boldness. Manohla Dargis from the New York Times emphasizes the film's entertainment value while critiquing its persuasive power, suggesting it may not fully capture the complexities of the papal election process. Overall, the sources present a mix of intrigue and skepticism regarding the film's portrayal of the Vatican's inner workings.
How we got here
The film 'Conclave' is adapted from Robert Harris's 2016 novel, exploring the complexities of papal elections. It reflects on the current debates within the Vatican, especially as discussions about Pope Francis's potential successors begin amidst his ongoing health challenges.
More on these topics
-
Edward Berger is a West German-born Austrian and Swiss director and screenwriter. He notably directed German films Jack, All My Loving, and All Quiet on the Western Front.
-
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, known best as simply Michelangelo, was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect and poet of the High Renaissance born in the Republic of Florence, who exerted an unparalleled influence on the development of Weste
-
John Arthur Lithgow is an American actor, author, musician, poet and singer. Prolific in films, television and on stage, Lithgow is the recipient of numerous accolades, including two Golden Globe Awards, six Primetime Emmy Awards, three Screen Actors Guil
-
Vatican City, officially the Vatican City State, is the Holy See's independent city-state enclaved within Rome, Italy. Vatican City became independent from Italy with the Lateran Treaty, and it is a distinct territory under "full ownership, exclusive domi
-
Pope Francis is the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State. Francis is the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere, and the first pope from outside Europe since the Syrian Gregory