Edward Berger’s film Conclave is enjoying a new moment of glory after its success at the Oscars. With the recent death of Pope Francis, interest in this film has skyrocketed, with an incredible 283% increase in views. Many viewers are turning to the film to better understand how the process of electing a new pontiff works, as a real conclave will be held in a few days.
But how much is true in the film about the conclave procedure and how much is the result of cinematic dramatization? Let’s try to find out.
The film Conclave by Edward Berger (2024).
Based on the novel of the same name by Robert Harris, Conclave is a political thriller directed by Edward Berger that won over critics, winning four BAFTAs and the Oscar for best non-original screenplay. The stellar cast includes Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence, Stanley Tucci as Cardinal Bellini, John Lithgow as Canadian Cardinal Tremblay, Sergio Castellitto as a German cardinal, and Isabella Rossellini as Sister Agnes.
The film was listed by the National Board of Review as one of the top ten films of the year.
The plot revolves around the election of a new pope after the sudden death of the previous pontiff. Cardinal Lawrence, dean of the College of Cardinals, finds himself managing the election process as rivalries, secrets and personal ambitions emerge.
The inner workings of the Vatican, the historical and intriguing center of Catholicism, immediately draw the viewer into the narrative of Conclave. With great attention to detail and excellent cinematography, the film delves into the ancient traditions surrounding the selection of a new pope, offering an intense exploration of faith, ambition and intrigue at the highest levels of the Catholic Church.
What is a conclave
Before exploring the film’s coherence and veracity, let’s try to understand what a conclave is and how it works within the rituals of the Church.
Let us start from the end, which is what we might call the goal of a conclave. The Church’s transition to Bergoglio’s successor will end with the famous announcement from the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, “Habemus Papam.”
But before this solemn moment, a complex and fascinating process will take place that has deep roots in Church history.
The term “conclave” derives from the Latin word “cum clave,” which literally means “under key.” Conclave is first mentioned to refer to the place and assembly entrusted with the election of popes in 1274, although its origin is linked to an earlier episode. In 1270, the inhabitants of Viterbo, then the papal seat, tired of the indecision of the cardinals in electing the new pope, locked them (“clausi cum clave”) in the hall of the city’s archbishop’s palace to force them to decide quickly. Despite this attempt, that was the longest conclave in Church history, lasting about three years, ending with the election of Gregory X.
The modern conclave begins when the dean of the College of Cardinals, currently Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, summons the cardinals to Rome within 15 to 20 days of the pope’s death. The period until a new pontiff is elected is called the “sede vacante,” during which the College of Cardinals retains general supervision of the Church but cannot make major decisions.
On the opening day of the conclave, the cardinals gather in St. Peter’s Basilica for Mass pro eligendo Romano Pontefice. Afterwards, they make their way in procession to the Sistine Chapel, where the voting will take place. The Master of Papal Liturgical Celebrations pronounces the“extra omnes” (“outside all”), signaling that only the cardinal electors may remain.
During the conclave, the cardinals live isolated from the outside world in the Casa Santa Marta (Domus Sanctae Marthae), the same residence chosen by Pope Francis during his pontificate. Only cardinal electors, that is, those under the age of 80, currently 135 out of 252, can participate in the voting.
A two-thirds majority vote is required to elect a new pope . Cardinals vote secretly, writing the name of the chosen one on a ballot. After each vote, the ballots are burned in a stove with an additive that produces a specific color: black smoke if the necessary majority was not achieved, white smoke when the new Pope has been elected.
If no consensus is reached after 33 or 34 votes, a runoff is held between the two cardinals who received the most votes. Again, a two-thirds majority is required. Once elected, the cardinal dean asks the chosen one, “Acceptasne electionem de te canonice factam in Summum Pontificem?” ( Do you accept your canonical election as Supreme Pontiff?).
In case of an affirmative answer, he asks him, “Quo nomine vis vocari?” (By what name do you wish to be called?). The new Pontiff retires to the “room of tears” to put on the papal vestments, so called because the Pope often bursts into tears from emotion and the weight of responsibility.
Finally, the Cardinal Protodeacon looks out from the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica and makes the “Habemus Papam” announcement, followed by the first “Urbi et Orbi” blessing of the new Pontiff.
What’s true about the movie Conclave
Spoiler alert. If you are planning to see Harris’ film, be aware that many plot details and the shocking ending will be revealed from here on!
First, we must say that the film Conclave went to considerable research effort to accurately portray many aspects of the papal election process. According to experts, “they captured many of the details correctly” and “procedurally, they got things right.”
The visual representation is particularly praised: the production team meticulously recreated the Sistine Chapel at Cinecittà Studios in Rome and consulted numerous cardinals on general details, as well as religious experts on archaic procedures not officially confirmed but handed down through the centuries.
The film captures well the balance between “the human-people, men who are ambitious, who have very strong feelings about what the church needs-and the Holy Spirit” that Catholics believe guides the proceedings.
What is just cinematic fiction in the film (and novel)
Harris’s Conclave offers a powerful and moderately truthful narrative that captures the audience, with twists and turns that repeatedly leave the viewer speechless. However, some elements are clearly inserted to heighten the narrative drama.
The film is not based on a true story, but is inspired by real traditions and the grandeur of papal elections, mixing real elements with fictional intrigue. The creators wove elements of the real election procedure with original characters, infusing the story with fictional scenarios designed to heighten tension.
While a real conclave involves strict protocols and an air of reverence, Robert Harris’ story delves into power struggles among cardinals, conspiracies, and personal ambitions-all elements that make for a compelling narrative, even if they do not reflect the true nature of each conclave.
The film’s narrative amplifies internal conflicts and personal agendas, hinting at power dynamics and secret alliances within the election process. Although these elements increase the drama, they deviate from the solemnity and unity often seen in real conclaves.
Experts have also noted some technical inaccuracies, such as the role of Cardinal Lawrence being a hybrid between the dean of the College of Cardinals and the camerlengo in the film, when in reality they are two distinct roles. Also, the presence of a nun (played by Isabella Rossellini) wandering around at night during the conclave is unlikely, given the strict isolation of the College of Cardinals.
There is no historical evidence of cardinals buying votes, as suggested in the film, and the idea of a terrorist attack blowing up the windows of the Sistine Chapel is highly unlikely. The final twist, with the revelation that the new Pope is intersex (he was born and raised as a man, but discovers he has a uterus and ovaries) is clearly a dramatization that has no precedent in reality, but serves in the narrative context to explore themes of identity, power, and change within the Church.
Are the cardinals really “campaigning”?
In the film we see a strong political component in the interactions among the cardinals, with real factions and strategies to get votes. In reality, this aspect is present but in a much more subtle way: candidates usually cultivate and gather their sodalists to be endorsed at voting time.
As a Roman proverb often quoted in these contexts goes, “He who enters the conclave as pope, ends up becoming a cardinal.” This underscores how favorites rarely get elected, and how too obvious ambition can hinder a candidate for the papal throne.
Although Professor Bill Cavanaugh of DePaul University told The Guardian that the politicization of the process in the film is probably “a bit exaggerated” and that cardinals do not often “fall neatly into progressive and conservative camps,” the film nevertheless captures an emotional truth of the process.
Can a stranger become pope?
In the film, Cardinal Benitez, virtually unknown, ends up being elected pope. How realistic is this situation? In reality, usually a few candidates are considered top candidates, usually a large group of between 15 and 20 papabili (never has this term been more accurate!). In the past, the election was much more predictable, but since John XXIII was elected as the new Pope as an outsider in 1958, reliable predictions have become virtually impossible.
Clearly, even in the most unpredictable cases, cardinals do not want to bet on a complete unknown. But as the election of Pope Francis has also shown, nothing is written and surprises are always possible.
Can the pope appoint a cardinal in secret?
A key plot element of the film is the presence of a cardinal appointed “in secret” by the Pope before his death. This practice actually exists and is called nomination “in pectore” (in the breast, i.e., in the heart) and in the past occurred mainly to protect the cardinal-designate from possible retaliation in countries where the Church was persecuted.
However, the film takes a significant creative liberty: in reality, a cardinal appointed in pectore does not get the privileges of the cardinalate until his appointment is made public. If a pope were to die without revealing the names of his cardinals in pectore, they would not be able to participate in the conclave, unlike what is shown in the film with Cardinal Benitez, who not only participates but is also elected.
When the conclave will take place and who will vote to elect Pope Francis’ successor
The conclave to elect Pope Francis’ successor begins about 15-20 days after the pontiff’s funeral, which was held on April 26. The cardinals will gather in the Sistine Chapel to begin the election process.
There are 135 cardinals with voting rights. As many as 108 of them have been appointed during the 12-year pontificate of Pope Francis. They come from 71 countries on every continent: 53 are from Europe (a component that is trending downward), with 17 from Italy. From Asia will come 23 senior prelates, while 18 come from the African continent.
In order to elect the new pope, it will be necessary to obtain two-thirds of the votes, which means gathering at least 90 preferences.
One particular case is that of Sardinian Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, who was involved in the financial scandal over the buying and selling of a palace in London with funds from the Holy See and was sentenced to five years and six months by the Vatican tribunal with interdiction from public office. Although he was not formally deposed, Pope Francis had stripped him of the post of Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints and the “rights attached to the cardinalate,” causing him to retain his title but lose the right to enter the conclave.
As we await the start of this historic event, the film Conclave continues to attract new viewers, offering a dramatized but essentially informative look at one of the Catholic Church’s most fascinating and secret processes.
You can follow the events live and see the arrival of the faithful at St. Peter’s to bid farewell to the Holy Father.