Pope Francis’ death renews fascination with films depicting papal elections, lives

A scene from movie “Conclave” / Courtesy of NK Contents

The passing of Pope Francis has reignited public interest in cinematic portrayals of papal elections and the lives of popes, most notably in “Conclave,” currently showing in theaters, and Netflix’s 2019 movie, “The Two Popes.”

Pope Francis, who led the world's 1.4 billion Catholics for nearly 12 years, died Monday at 88 after a battle with respiratory issues, despite brief signs of recovery and public Easter appearances.

Following the news, “Francis” and “Conclave” became top trending keywords on X. In particular, “Conclave,” which means a private meeting where cardinals gather to elect the next pope, has garnered attention due to the proximity of its release to Pope Frances' passing.

Directed by Edward Berger, “Conclave” portrays conflicts, conspiracies and betrayals that arise during a papal election. The movie premiered outside Korea last year and was released domestically on March 5.

The film follows 140 cardinals who gather to elect a new pope, engaging in repeated rounds of voting while confined within the Vatican. It offers a detailed look at the secretive papal election process, highlighting factionalism and political maneuvering. The film, based on a novel of the same title, received acclaim at international film festivals, including the 97th Academy Awards.

“Conclave” has resonated with Korean audiences, exceeding 270,000 viewers since its release, a significant feat for a small-budget international film.

The film was at No. 12 at the box office on April 20, the day before Pope Francis' death, but rose to No. 5 on Friday, according to data from the Korean Film Council. The number of theaters showing the film also increased from 82 on Monday to 194 on Friday.

Actors Anthony Hopkins, left, and Jonathan Pryce in Netflix's “The Two Popes” / Courtesy of Netflix

Public interest has also surged for "The Two Popes," a drama film premiered on Netflix in 2019, which explores the relationship between Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis.

Directed by Fernando Meirelles, the film follows Pope Benedict XVI (Anthony Hopkins) as he tries to persuade Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce) to reconsider resigning as archbishop while revealing his own plans to abdicate the papacy.

It received nominations at the Academy Awards, British Academy Film Awards and Golden Globe Awards and received the Hollywood Screenwriter Award at the Hollywood Film Awards in 2019.