Many cardinals flocked to ‘Conclave’ before the conclave

If a movie is to be judged by the audience it attracts, then “Conclave” must be blessed.

Consider that some Catholic cardinals sequestered in Rome this week first watched the Oscar-winning drama as a primer on the secretive process of choosing the next pope, according to Politico.

“Some have watched it in the cinema,” a clergy member told the news service.

For the majority of the 133 cardinals serving the church with worldwide reach, this will be their first conclave. And that includes Cardinal Blase Cupich, who brought a polished and pragmatic style to Spokane when he was appointed bishop in 2010.

Cupich’s small-town roots are indicative of many of the late Pope Francis’ appointments, who came from smaller dioceses across the world. The movie was released late last year – four months before Francis’ death the day after Easter.

The movie has earned praise for its accurate portrayal of the intricacies of how conclaves work, as well as its somber cadence that makes it a suspenseful thriller with just enough action to keep Marvel-era moviegoers engaged.

It’s no wonder that before the first wisps of black smoke curled from a Sistine Chapel chimney for the real-life papal selection that last year’s Ralph Fiennes film has become a streaming blockbuster, according to the New York Times.

Some Catholic Church officials didn’t care for some of the depictions of conspiracy and subterfuge. Chalk it up to needs of Hollywood. But the movie’s attention to detail helped it earn eight Academy Award nominations earlier this year.