As Pope Francis was laid to rest on Saturday, April 26, the crucial and covert process of selecting the Catholic Church’s new leader called “conclave” draws nearer.  

Many have been intrigued with what goes on behind closed doors, and has inspired many films to speculate on the process. You can watch these films that took inspiration from this time-honored tradition. But before doing so, here’s a reminder from Church experts: they are works of fiction. 

Conclave

 With Pope Francis’ passing, you’re probably curious how the Church will select his successor. Now is the perfect time to watch this political thriller that will surely feed your curiosity. 

Based on Robert Harris’ 2016 novel of the same title, this fictional movie offers a progressive lens on the private election that involves cardinals from different parts of the world. 

The film follows the story of Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) who carried the heavy responsibility of overseeing the election and choosing the best candidate for the job. Along the way, he discovered some controversies and anomalies involving the frontrunner cardinals who were vying for the highest office, leading to an unexpected outcome. 

Released in 2024, this Oscar-winning film was under the direction of Edward Berger, with Peter Straughan as the writer. 

According to Luminate, the film’s viewership in the United States surged by 283% on April 21, following Pope Francis’ death.  

With this increase, Vatican correspondent for Reuters Joshua McElwee reminded the public: "Obviously it's a work of fiction, it's a work of art. It emulates life; it tries to help people understand what happens behind the scenes. But it's not true to life in terms of it's not an accurate rendition of what would happen." 

READ: Forget the film: Vatican is preparing for the real 'Conclave'

The Two Popes 

This film shows a rare transition of power in the Catholic Church that deviates from the conventional one wherein a new pontiff assumes the papacy only when the sitting pope dies.  

Featuring Pope Benedict XVI (Anthony Hopkins) and Pope Francis (Jonathan Pryce), this 2019 biographical drama was inspired by real events in the Church’s history. 

 The movie follows the story of Pope Benedict XVI, who came up with the decision to resign from his papacy after being confronted by Vatican leaks scandal, and Jorge Bergoglio or Pope Francis, his critic and eventual successor who was also on the verge of resignation at that time. 

The film painted an inspiring picture of how their common aspiration for the Church prevailed over their clashing personalities and views, with one as a conservative and the other as a liberal.  

The Two Popes was directed by Fernando Meirelles and was written by Anthony McCarten. 

Habemus Papam (We Have a Pope)

The phrase “Habemus Papam” is often heard when the Catholic Church introduces a newly elected Pope. This is the idea behind the film’s title.  

The work of Italian filmmaker Nanni Moretti, this film also dramatized the process of conclave where cardinals took part in the election that led to a surprising result.

  It follows the story of Cardinal Melville (Michel Piccoli) who was chosen to be the next pope. Although astounded by the result, he initially accepted the job. Carrying tremendous doubts, he refused to face his people, disrupting the time-honored practice of introducing a new pope. He then sought help from a psychiatrist, leading to a decision that shocked the entire Church.  

According to a report by The Guardian, the 2011 film drew mixed reactions from the Vatican, gaining both criticisms and praise for highlighting what they call a “papal burden.”