In light of the current global event—the death of Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church, which is the talk of the town—the Christian ritual of electing a new pope is now under way. This ritual, traditionally called a “conclave,” is a private gathering of cardinals (the highest clergy, ranking just below the pope) from all over the world to cast their invaluable votes on the ballot for the next pope. A new pope must secure a two-thirds majority of the cardinals’ votes, and the conclave continues for as many days as necessary until a candidate is chosen.
The word 'conclave' fascinated me, and there happens to be an Oscar-winning (for Best Adaptation) movie, "Conclave", directed by Edward Berger and released in 2024, which depicts this event rather realistically. The film is adapted from Robert Harris’s 2016 novel of the same name.
As Michel Foucault said, power operates within every aspect of society—including religious institutions like churches and temples—and this is vividly depicted in the movie, where a kind of “war” erupts among the cardinals vying for the papacy to gain power. As I mentioned, the conclave takes place after the death Pope, so, the movie begins with the death of the “Holy Father,” and in the next minute everyone is speculating about who will be the next pope. Cardinal Lawrence—masterfully portrayed by Ralph Fiennes—manages the entire conclave. Watching so-called religious leaders descend into petty childish fights is both compelling and surprising, since many people regard them as moral ideals.
The film delves into what happens behind the scenes of this private procedure, rather than simply showing us the announcement of the new pope. It’s all about religious politics—so common today, especially in India. We also get echoes of colonialism: historically, British colonial powers not only exploited natives and their lands but altered their faiths through Christian missionaries. This is reflected in the presence of cardinals from around the globe, including the African continent.
Yet even among them there is groupism based on language, which reminds me of the myth of the Tower of Babel. There might have been greater unity and fewer petty fights if they all spoke a single language—Latin. One problematic element I noticed is the latent racism among the white cardinals. For instance, when the Nigerian Cardinal Adeyemi is close to becoming pope, he is sidelined because of a youthful indiscretion—adultery (Lust: one of the seven deadly sins) that occurred nearly thirty years earlier. Historically, there has never been a Black pope; there have been bishops and cardinals of African origin, but never the papacy.
At one point, it felt like an Indian election campaign, where politicians go door to door for votes. Likewise, cardinals roam among groups, seeking that one precious vote that brings them closer to the papacy. Amid it all are conspiracy, mystery, and bribery—elements that keep viewers engaged despite what could be a dull subject: religion. Cardinal Tedesco’s dogmatism—he openly stereotypes Muslims as terrorists and lunatics after a bombing during the conclave—also highlights the issue of religious intolerance.
With its planning, plotting, and realism, the movie is, in my opinion, progressive as it tries to convey hidden truths about people and about such private religious gatherings. The climax is equally fascinating, as we discover the “secret” behind the newly chosen pope that I did not expect at the film’s beginning.
