Cardinals are reportedly watching Oscar-winning drama Conclave for guidance on the real-life event

Art imitates life and life imitates art as Oscar-winning movie Conclave is reportedly becoming a useful resource for cardinals in the Vatican during the real-life proceedings to elect the next pope.

"Some have watched it in the cinema," a cleric told POLITICO. According to the cleric, the movie is seen as remarkably accurate even by cardinals, making it a helpful research tool. This is many of the participants' first conclave, as they were only appointed by the late Pope Francis during his papacy, and so have little experience with Vatican politics and protocol.

Pope Francis died on April 21, 2025, and the conclave to elect his successor officially begins today (May 7). There are 135 eligible cardinals, and 133 of those are in attendance at the Vatican as proceedings kick off.

As for the movie, Conclave was released last fall and follows Cardinal Lawrence, played by Ralph Fiennes, as he organizes the conclave to elect the next pope – and deals with the secrets and scandals that come to light in the process as the candidates descend on the Vatican from countries around the world. The cast also includes Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini.

Based on the novel of the same name by Robert Harris, the movie won Best Adapted Screenplay at the Oscars and was also nominated for Best Picture, while Fiennes and Rossellini both received acting nods.

Conclave is currently streaming on Prime Video. For more viewing inspiration, check out our guide to the best upcoming movies on the way in 2025, or our roundup of 2025's biggest movie release dates.