After two consecutive victories at the Screen Actors Guild Awards and Britain’s equivalent of the Oscars, the papal thriller “Conclave” aims for a hat-trick on Sunday at the Academy Awards. However, this shot at cinematic glory comes at an uncomfortable time as the Roman Catholic Church is fervently praying for the survival of Pope Francis, who is currently battling pneumonia and other infections. On Saturday, it was reported that Francis was stable and receiving alternating periods of mechanical ventilation and high-flow oxygen therapy. Critics argue that the movie accurately portrays the secretive rituals of a conclave, while others believe that it doesn’t accurately reflect the intricacies of church politics. In doing so, the film sparks questions about the future direction of the church.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/02/world/europe/conclave-movie-pope-vatican-oscars.html