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In the Academy Award-nominated political thriller Conclave, the election of Cardinal Benítez as the new Pope comes as a surprise to many viewers. What makes the election more striking is not only the background of the character but also his papal name, Innocent. The choice of name is deeply symbolic, rooted in his characteristics.

Carlos Diehz as Cardinal Benitez in the movie Conclave | Credit: Focus Features

The director of Conclave explained in an interview why Cardinal Benítez chose Innocent as his Regnal name. Based on the novel by Robert Harris, the movie delves deep into the complex dynamics of the papal election process.

Conclave director revealed the real reason why Cardinal Benítez chose Innocent as his Papal name

Cardinal Benítez (Carlos Diehz), a young Mexican archbishop with a profound understanding of global Christianity, is seen as an outsider to the Vatican establishment. Serving in dangerous regions like Afghanistan, Benitez has experienced harsh realities.

This review was originally published during the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.

Conclave is a deceptive film, one that wears the cloak of awards bait but reveals itself to be something much different as it unfolds. Directed by Edward Berger, who won Best International Feature for All Quiet on the Western Front, Conclave has a simple premise: when the pope dies, cardinals from all over the world are sequestered as they choose the holy fathers successor.

Conclave

Director Edward BergerRelease Date November 1, 2024Writers Peter Straughan, Robert HarrisCast Rony Kramer, Carlos Diehz, Joseph Mydell, Sergio Castellitto, Jacek Koman, Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, Lucian Msamati, Merab Ninidze, Brian F. O'Byrne, John Lithgow, Isabella RosselliniRating PGRuntime 120 MinutesGenres Drama, Mystery, Thriller

No one really knows what goes on behind those doors, but Berger and writers Peter Staughan and Robert Harris, the latter of whom wrote the novel the film is based on, posit that these...

The drama behind the election of a Pope has been done to various degrees of success by Hollywood before, notably 1968’s pulpy The Shoes of the Fisherman, and 2019’s wonderfully literate The Two Popes with Jonathan Pryce and Anthony Hopkins in an imagined story of the rise of the current Pope Francis and retiring Pope Benedict. But now with Conclave, adapted by Peter Straughan from the Robert Harris novel and directed by recent Oscar winner Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front), we have a papal election thriller that rivals anything a political party could dream up. To put it succinctly in literary terms, this one is a real page-turner. In pure cinematic terms it is a barn-burning thriller. A superbly crafted — in every respect — stunning dramatic achievement, this is the kind of well-regarded, praiseworthy adult drama that used to be a staple for studios but now is an increasingly rare bird.