How accurate is Conclave? What the film gets right – and wrong – about choosing a new pope
It is rare for art to imitate life quite so literally as Conclave does in the wake of the death of Pope Francis.
The papal drama, which is based on Robert Harris’s book of the same name and directed by Edward Berger, is a fictional take on the closed-door process of appointing a new pontiff, known as a conclave, which is set to begin for real in the Vatican on 5 May.
Cardinals from across the world – depicted in the 2024 film by stars including Ralph Fiennes, John Lithgow and Stanley Tucci – will descend on Rome, where they will be cut off from the outside world until a new pope is chosen.
Pope Francis dies: Follow live updates
As with anything given the Hollywood treatment, some elements of the film were added for dramatic effect. The biggest twists (don’t worry, you are safe from major spoilers) were read by some as anti-Catholic propaganda.
But on the whole, Conclave – which took home four BAFTA Awards, including best film, and best adapted screenplay at the Oscars – now feels bizarrely prescient, having been released months before cardinals first became concerned for Pope Francis‘s health.
So how accurately does it depict the highly secretive conclave process?
A conclave to elect Pope Francis’ successor will begin on 5 May. Pic: AP
The basics
On the basics, the film does an accurate job of depicting what we know an actual conclave involves.
Cardinals are seen living, eating and socialising together at a version of the purpose-built Casa Santa Marta, a guesthouse on the grounds of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican City, which is what will happen at the beginning of next month.
The film’s depiction of cardinals in the Sistine Chapel. Pic: Focus Features/Shutterstock
The film also shows the Sistine Chapel – the famous Vatican hall decorated with the works of Michelangelo – being swept for listening devices before the start of the highly classified morning and evening voting sessions, where cardinals write down the name of the person they wish to become pope.
Berger’s thriller also accurately depicts cardinals putting their votes inside a sealed container – which in real life is a silver urn. Once all votes have been cast, a Vatican dignitary reads the votes aloud.
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Cardinals assemble to plan pope funeral
If a two-thirds majority has not been reached, the votes are threaded together and burnt with an additive to produce black smoke, only showing white smoke when enough cardinals agree on a candidate to take over the papacy – details also true to the real process.
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The pope’s apartment has been sealed
Internal politics
The film shows clear factions within the group of voting cardinals, with some clearly backing particular candidates more than others, largely depending on their beliefs.
Cardinal Aldo Bellini (played by Tucci) is depicted as the leading liberal candidate, who seeks to reform the church and follow in the footsteps of the late pope. Whereas Cardinal Goffredo Tedesco (played by Sergio Castellitto) is an Italian who represents the church’s conservative wing.
It is true that every pope will have their own beliefs, some of which are seen as more liberal or conservative than others. Pope Francis in fact diverged from his predecessors on many contentious issues within the Church.
He more openly embraced LGBTQ individuals (although stopped short of full acceptance), decried climate change, and called publicly for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence and Stanley Tucci as Cardinal Bellini. Pic: Focus Features 2024
Speaking to Sky News’ Katie Spencer in February after the film’s release, Fiennes said it is “human” how the cardinals are seen positioning themselves for the top role.
“They’re full of pride, ambition, things they’ve kept hidden and I think that’s what’s great [is this film] is not cynical and that’s what drew me to it.”
But Bill Cavanaugh, a professor of Catholic Studies at DePaul University, told The Guardian that the politicisation of the process in the film is likely “a little bit exaggerated”.
He said cardinals do not often fall “neatly into progressive and conservative camps”.
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‘It’s not a facile takedown of the Catholic Church’
The character of Cardinal Lawrence
Central to the film is Fiennes’ character Cardinal Lawrence, a key dignitary within the Vatican who is tasked with overseeing the fictional conclave.
Cardinal Lawrence is depicted in the film, at times, as fulfilling the roles of both the camerlengo, the person who traditionally takes over the Holy See – the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City – after the death of a pope, and the dean of the College of Cardinals.
But in reality these are two separate roles.
Pic: Philippe Antonello/Focus Features 2024
After Pope Francis’s death on Monday, Irish-born American Cardinal Kevin Farrell took over the Holy See as camerlengo. The traditional role involves helping to organise the conclave but also includes announcing the pope’s death, sealing the papal apartment and breaking the pontiff’s fisherman’s ring – a sign that there is a vacancy in the Vatican.
Cardinal Farrell will also play a key role in the pope’s funeral, which will take place in Rome on 26 April.
This differs from the dean of the College of Cardinals, who is seen as the “first among equals” – essentially the head of the body of cardinals who elect the new pontiff.
Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell is the camerlengo. Pic: Reuters
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re is the dean of the College of Cardinals. Pic: Reuters
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re has been in the position since 2020 and will now preside over the general congregation meetings, the gathering of the cardinals currently in Rome, which finalises the details of the pontiff’s funeral and upcoming conclave.
Once a new pontiff is chosen, Cardinal Battista will also be the person to accept the election and ask the newest pope what name he will take.
Read more:
Pope Francis: A life in pictures
Francis was a champion of the deprived
Inside Vatican City at moment of high tension
A secret cardinal
One of the film’s main characters, Cardinal Vincent Benitez (played by Carlos Diehz), is described as a cardinal in pectore, which refers to the real process of a pope appointing a cardinal in secret.
A pope is entitled to keep the name of the newly elected cardinal secret for various reasons, but they are not officially recognised as a cardinal until their name is known publicly.
Contrary to what the film depicts, cardinals who have only been named in secret cannot take part in a conclave.
Entertainment
Sir Elton John ‘so proud’ of Watford FC as new kit marks 50 years since he became chairman
Sir Elton John has said he is “so proud” of Watford FC as the football club released a new kit marking 50 years since he became its chairman.
The blue shirts and silver shorts will be worn by the Championship team for the first time in their home game against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.
Watford, who are nicknamed the Hornets, have worn yellow home shirts since 1959.
Pic: Watford FC
Pic: Watford FC
The choice of blue is inspired by the colour Watford wore during the singer’s early days as a supporter.
Speaking in a launch video for the kit, the 78-year-old musician said: “My passion for this club has never died, and I’m so proud of this club, ever since I was five years old when we played in blue and there were two rickety old stands.
“What can I say? It’s in my heart and my soul, you can’t get rid of it. The supporters of this club have always been in my heart.”
The shirt is inspired by the artwork for his Diamonds hits compilation, and features his E logo, an embossed print of the lyrics of his hit track Your Song, and the Happy Hornet badge, which was the club logo when Sir Elton became chairman in 1976.
Complementing the shirt are silver shorts with E taping running down both sides. The silver WFC crest features on the shorts.
Sir Elton remains honorary life president at the club, having left his second stint as chairman in 2002, with Watford crediting the star with changing “the trajectory and future of the club forever”.
During his time as chairman, the club rose from the fourth division to second place in the top flight in the late 1970s and early 1980s, playing European football and reaching an FA Cup final.
Watford are currently managed by Paulo Pezzolano. The team are 14th in the Championship table, having won just one of their first five league matches.
Sir Elton has enjoyed 10 UK number one albums and 10 UK number one singles during his career.
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New Banksy artwork removed from wall in London
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Sir Elton John at Vicarage Road in 2014. Pic: Reuters
He is best known for songs such as Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Candle In The Wind.
The shirts will be in a special edition gift box, and will be available in the club’s shops and online from 9am on Friday. Fans can pre-order now.
A new Banksy artwork that sprung up at the Royal Courts of Justice in London is being scrubbed off.
The mural depicted a protester lying on the ground holding a blood-spattered placard, while a judge, dressed in a wig and gown, loomed over him while wielding a gavel.
Pic: PA/Banksy
The work was first seen on Monday on an external wall of the Queen’s Building, part of the Royal Courts of Justice complex.
It was covered up and guarded by security staff, with HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) taking the decision to remove it due to the building being listed and therefore legally protected.
Pic: PA
Pic: PA
It is understood that work began to remove the image on Tuesday and resumed on Wednesday.
Good Law Project posted on X about the artwork’s removal, stating: “The court is erasing Banksy’s mural just like it’s erasing our right to protest.
“It only took 48 hours for the Royal Courts of Justice to scrub out a Banksy showing a judge striking down a protester with his gavel.
“Silencing a work of art about silencing protest? Maybe it was a little too close to home.”
Banksy confirmed he was responsible for the work with a post on Instagram, showing the graffiti before it was covered over.
The artist, whose identity is the source of constant speculation, captioned the pictures: “Royal Courts Of Justice. London.”
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Pic: PA/Banksy
Banksy is known for his graffiti and performance art pranks.
His Love Is In The Bin artwork – which famously shredded itself after being sold in 2018 – sold at auction in 2021 for £18.5m.
Elsewhere, a Banksy mural removed from the wall of a former shop in Lowestoft, Suffolk, in 2021 was later sold for an undisclosed sum.
At the time, experts said it could have fetched hundreds of thousands of pounds, with rumours swirling it may have gone for up to £2m.
Banksy’s stencilled graffiti is often a comment on political issues, and many of his pieces are critical of government policy, war and capitalism.
The artwork comes after almost 900 demonstrators were arrested for protesting in central London on Saturday against the banning of Palestine Action as a terror group.
It was proscribed by the UK government under anti-terror laws earlier this year.
It makes membership of, or support for, the direct action group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison, while even wearing a T-shirt or badge with the group’s name on could attract a maximum six-month sentence.
The ban came shortly after two Voyager aircraft suffered around £7m worth of damage at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on 20 June.
Banksy’s artwork also came weeks after the Lady Chief Justice, the most senior judge in England and Wales, repeated concerns for the safety of judges, who she said had been subjected to “increasingly unacceptable sensationalist and inaccurate abuse”.
The work was reported as criminal damage, with the Metropolitan Police stating that inquiries were ongoing.
A HMCTS spokesperson said: “The Royal Courts of Justice is a listed building and HMCTS are obliged to maintain its original character.”
Entertainment
Sam Fender, Pulp, CMAT and Wolf Alice among Mercury Prize nominees for 2025 – as full shortlist revealed
Sam Fender is among the artists in the running for this year’s Mercury Prize as the ceremony heads to his home city – with Pulp also shortlisted for their big comeback, and Wolf Alice breaking a record.
Other acts announced by judges today include the genre-bending FKA Twigs, indie-pop star CMAT and post-punk band Fontaines DC, who are all up for the award for the second time.
Folk musician Martin Carthy is now believed to be the oldest ever nominee at 84 – and joins his daughter, Eliza Carthy, and late wife Norma Waterson, on the list of Mercury Prize shortlist alumni.
FKA Twigs and PinkPantheress (below) are also nominated. Pics: Andy Kropa/Invision/AP – Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP
Other first-timers include Jacob Alon and Joe Webb, who are both nominated for debuts, as well as Emma-Jean Thackray, Pa Salieu and PinkPantheress.
This is a huge year for the event, which will take place outside London for the first time after more than 30 years – at Newcastle‘s Utilita Arena on 16 October.
English Teacher won the prize last year, for their debut album This Could Be Texas. Pic: Sky News
Last year, it was noted by winners English Teacher that they were the first act from outside London to pick up the prize in 10 years. This year’s nominees include artists from Leeds, Sheffield, Gloucestershire, Coventry and Kent, as well as the capital, and more acts from, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
‘Sam Fender shows what is possible’
Sam Fender performing in 2023. Pic: Graham Finney/Cover Images via AP
Ahead of the show, a week-long fringe festival will take place across Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Durham and Northumberland to spotlight the North East’s music scene.
One of the biggest stars to emerge from that scene in recent years is of course Sam Fender, from North Shields. The indie-rock singer-songwriter was first nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2022, for his second album, Seventeen Going Under, and returns to the shortlist this year with his third chart-topper, People Watching.
“The success of artists like Sam Fender shows what is possible for young musicians in our region,” North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said earlier this year. “Hosting the Mercury Prize in the North East gives us the opportunity to showcase our home-grown talent.”
Previous Mercury winners Pulp and Wolf Alice are both nominated for the fourth time.
For Wolf Alice, who first made the cut with their debut My Love Is Cool in 2015 and won with their second album Visions Of A Life in 2018 before a third nod for Blue Weekend in 2021, this latest recognition for The Clearing means that every single one of the four albums they have ever released has been in the running.
They previously held this accolade with Laura Mvula and Anna Calvi, who have been both nominated for all three of their studio albums.
Pulp were first nominated for their fourth album His’n’Hers in 1994 and won with Different Class, one of the most famous albums of the Britpop era, in 1996. A nomination for This Is Hardcore followed in 1998 – and now More, their first album in more than 20 years, has earned them a nod once again.
Pa Salieu pictured at the Mobo Awards in 2021. Pic: PA
Former Ivor Novello nominee Pa Salieu receives his Mercury nod for Afrikan Alien, released in November 2024 – just a few months after he was released from prison.
The rapper and singer was convicted in 2022 for his part in an attack which happened in 2018. “I done sh*t I don’t even forgive myself for,” he told British Vogue in an interview when the album was released. He said he had been writing songs in prison. “It’s the lessons you learn. Everyone has a right to learn.”
And CMAT returns for the second year in a row, after being nominated for her second album, Crazymad, For Me, in 2024, and now Euro-Country.
The Mercury Prize launched in 1992, when Simply Red’s Stars, U2’s Achtung Baby, and The Jesus And Mary Chain’s Honey’s Dead were among the nominees – and Primal Scream’s Screamadelica took the inaugural award.
It celebrates music by British and Irish acts and spans a huge range of different musical genres and artists throughout all stages of their careers, from newcomers to veterans.
As well as English Teacher, other recent winners include Michael Kiwanuka, Arlo Parks, Little Simz and Ezra Collective.
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