Art has often mirrored life at the Academy Awards, but perhaps not as strikingly as with the best picture nominee, *Conclave*. When Ralph Fiennes and his co-stars began filming in Rome two years ago, they could not have anticipated how real-world events would unfold, making the film’s premise feel eerily prophetic. This weekend, as the film industry gathers to celebrate its finest in Hollywood, cardinals are convening in Vatican City due to concerns about the Pope’s health. John Lithgow, one of the film’s stars, remarked on the SAG Awards red carpet, “The film has ended up extremely timely.”
While Oscar winners typically express gratitude to their agents or Steven Spielberg in their acceptance speeches, this year’s films present a different narrative on-screen, with a notable focus on themes of faith. This is particularly evident in *Conclave*, which features Machiavellian cardinals, and in *The Brutalist*, where we witness the emotional struggles of Adrien Brody’s Jewish architect tasked with designing a Christian house of worship. Jesse Eisenberg’s *A Real Pain* explores the evolving significance of faith for younger generations grappling with the Holocaust.
Entertainment journalist Ronse Esangbedo notes, “Religious films have found success at the Oscars, but they are not frequently represented.” He believes there is a growing desire for diversity in genre and style, which is becoming more apparent with each awards season.
While some may cynically suggest that the renewed focus on events in Rome gives *Conclave* an unfair advantage, the reality is that the voting deadline was February 18—over a week before doctors reported the Pope’s critical but stable condition—meaning it is unlikely to influence the outcome. Although the Catholic Church has more pressing matters than the fate of a fictional portrayal of the papal selection process, the timing is certainly inconvenient. Fiennes has previously stated that the film is not a “facile takedown” of Catholicism, countering claims that it serves as anti-Catholic propaganda.
