Weekend films

'Conclave', the fight for the papal throne is a thrilling thriller

21 December 2024

3' min read

One of the possible stars of the upcoming Oscar night is among the most significant titles of the weekend in theatres: Edward Berger's 'Conclave' is undoubtedly aiming for several nominations of the most important award in the cinematic universe, also considering the excellent reception by the American press and the six Golden Globe nominations, among which those for Best Drama and Best Director stand out.

Born in Wolfsburg in 1970, Berger is no stranger to such awards, considering the four Oscars raised by his previous film, 'Nothing New on the Western Front', which won Best International Feature Film, Best Cinematography and Best Score.

“Conclave” e gli altri film della settimana
Photogallery4 foto

If in that case the screenplay was an adaptation of the famous novel by Erich Maria Remarque, which has already been transposed several times to the cinema, this time the plot of 'Conclave' is based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Robert Harris, a writer who has already been brought to the cinema several times, for example by Roman Polanski with two excellent films such as 'The Man in the Shadows' and 'The Officer and the Spy'.

Berger's film opens with the death of the pontiff and the urgent need for the Holy See to convene for a new conclave, chaired by Dean Thomas Lawrence. Among the main candidates are two Italians, Aldo Bellini and Goffredo Tedesco, with completely opposite views.

Through often very fast editing and a script that keeps the tension high until the end, 'Conclave' is a thriller in its own right, an exciting chess game to gain power and thus sit on the papal throne.

Well-written characters and plot twists

Some passages appear rather forced and narratively a bit cumbersome, but the film has on its side the remarkable writing of almost all the characters on stage, enhanced by a rich cast in which the excellent performance of the protagonist Ralph Fiennes stands out. Isabella Rossellini is also notable in the role of a nun, but all the actresses and actors do their duty effectively.

Berger has a good hand (he had also demonstrated this in the little-remembered 'Jack') and, although some sequences risk a touch of self-satisfaction, he manages to hold the reins of an operation that is not simple, as much for the themes dealt with as for some sequences that are anything but simple to realise.

Up to the conclusion there are numerous twists and turns and it is worth going to the cinema to see it knowing very little about the plot: if you do and you have not already read Harris' novel, you will be in for a long series of surprises.

Tofu In Japan

Among the new releases in the theatres is another good film, decidedly less publicised than several other releases of this period: 'Tofu In Japan' by Mitsuhiro Mihara.

In this Japanese film, the focus of the narrative is the bond between a father and daughter who run a small tofu shop near Hiroshima. The man decides it is time to find her a new boyfriend and starts sifting through the best bachelors in the area in search of the perfect husband for the girl. But he too will have an unexpected encounter.

Winner of the Audience Award at the Far East film Festival, 'Tofu In Japan' is a delicate, essential film that does not offer any great flourishes but manages to be entertaining and interesting throughout its duration.

In this apparently rather simple comedy, there is room for numerous insights of great depth, reminiscent of the poetics of one of the masters of Japanese cinema, Yasujiro Ozu.

Ozu is a fundamental reference for several contemporary authors - from Wim Wenders (just think of 'Perfect Days') to Hirokazu Kore-Eda - and several references to his cinema can also be found in this film, starting with the wonderful 'Late Spring' of 1949.