The death of Pope Francis at the age of 88 on Monday, April 21, means that a papal conclave — the formal process of choosing a new pope — will begin following a brief mourning period. The practice was explored in the Academy Award-winning 2024 film Conclave starring Ralph Fiennes — and the movie’s streaming release date couldn’t be timelier.
As ABC News reported, about 15 to 20 days after the pope’s death, Roman Catholic cardinals from around the world will convene at the Sistine Chapel, where they’ll be sequestered to vote for a new pope multiple times per day until a two-thirds majority is reached. After each vote, the ballots will be burned and the smoke released from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney. Traditionally, black smoke symbolizes indicates an inconclusive vote, while white smoke means a new pope has been elected.
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In the movie Conclave, the character played by Fiennes — Cardinal Lawrence — oversees a conclave, which uncovers a series of secrets about the men in the running. Nominated for eight Academy Awards, Conclave will be available to stream on Amazon starting Tuesday, April 22 — just one day after the Pope Francis died.
“I think the film asks the question: Who is the person that is best? Who is the right person to take this extraordinary position of spiritual leadership? And what we want them to be spiritually, to have a great spiritual foundation as a person. In the course of the film, I think we understand that person gets there,” Fiennes said an October 2024 interview with Today.com.
