For his follow-up to the award-winning 2022 adaptation of “All Quiet On The Western Front”, Edward Berger takes us to another kind of battlefield, one with far less bloodshed but a comparable degree of viciousness. “Conclave” follows the closely-guarded process by which the Catholic College of Cardinals elects the Church’s new Pope – a ritual that here entails backstabbing, juicy plot twists and the downfall of more than one prominent clergyman. Based on the 2016 Robert Harris novel, this thriller works best as a pulpy page-turner starring Ralph Fiennes as an honourable Cardinal trying to keep the conclave running smoothly, all the while strategizing to ensure that his preferred candidate wins.

Tim Grierson, Screen International

"Conclave" is nominated for the European Film Academy awards in the categorie of Best Actor.