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Conclave

Name: Conclave
Director: Edward Berger
Released: 2024
Duration: 120 min

Representation Score

5.6/10

Fair

2024

Director

Edward Berger

Runtime

120 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Conclave offers a sophisticated look at the friction between historical hegemony and global modernity. It succeeds in deconstructing institutional power by presenting a Church that is diverse in its ethnic makeup, reflecting a post-colonial shift in religious leadership. However, the film is heavily constrained by its setting. The narrative adheres to rigid, traditional hierarchies that exclude women from decision-making and offer no representation for LGBTQ+ or disabled individuals. This creates a narrow focus on a patriarchal, clerical world. Ultimately, the film is a study of systemic vulnerability. While it excels at portraying the globalized nature of modern institutions, its refusal to move beyond traditional gender and identity structures limits its overall inclusivity.

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Category Breakdown

Does Conclave have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film operates within a strictly straight-centered and cisgender framework. It lacks LGBTQ+ characters, non-cisgender identities, or depictions of same-sex intimacy.

How does Conclave portray gender?

Limited

The central power structure is an exclusively male domain, reinforcing patriarchal leadership models. Women appear only in peripheral roles and lack the ability to influence the central plot.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Conclave?

Good

The narrative disrupts Eurocentric clichés by casting a diverse cohort of Cardinals from North American, African, and various European backgrounds. This reflects the rising influence of the Global South.

How does Conclave represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The film critiques traditional Western institutions by portraying the Church as a fallible human institution. It explores the tension between historical dogma and the complexities of modern morality.

Does Conclave include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no significant representation of physical or neurodivergent disabilities. The focus remains almost exclusively on the psychological and political states of the high-ranking clergy.

Present on Screen

Successfully depicts the globalized nature of modern institutions through a diverse cohort of international Cardinals.
Provides a profound critique of traditional Western institutions and the fallibility of religious dogma.
Effectively uses the clergy as a metaphor for post-colonial shifts in institutional power.

Limited or Absent

Lacks meaningful representation of physical or neurodivergent disabilities within the primary cast.
Reinforces patriarchal models by excluding women from the central decision-making processes.
Fails to include LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisgender identities within the narrative.

Official Synopsis

After the unexpected death of the Pope, Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with managing the covert and ancient ritual of electing a new one. Sequestered in the Vatican with the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders until the process is complete, Lawrence finds himself at the center of a conspiracy that could lead to its downfall.

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