- Title: Vatican drama 'Conclave' explores human desire for power -director
- Date: 14th November 2024
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - OCTOBER 10, 2024) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** DIRECTOR, EDWARD BERGER (R) POSING AT "CONCLAVE" PREMIERE WITH WIFE, ACTOR-SCREENWRITER NELE MUELLER-STOEFEN (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR, EDWARD BERGER, SAYING: "To me, it takes place in the Vatican, but it really could take place anywhere. It could take place in Washington, D.C. It could take place in Downing Street. It could take place in any CEO top job. This is basically, let's see it as a gig that is empty, a vacant throne, a vacant position and someone needs to fill it. And whenever that power vacuum exists, there's going to be people striving for it. There's going to be people fighting for it and stabbing each other in the back and trying to manipulate their way into this power. And because ambition takes over, ambition is sometimes stronger than our ,than we think in ourselves. And it takes over inside. And we basically push people aside left and right just to get to that place. And so this film is very much about that." CAST AND DIRECTOR ON RED CARPET POSING: (L-R) ACTORS RALPH FIENNES, ISABELLA ROSSELLINI AND STANLEY TUCCI, AND BERGER FIENNES AND ROSSELLINI POSING (SOUNDBITE)(English) ACTOR, RALPH FIENNES, (SEEN WITH ACTORS, STANLEY TUCCI (L) AND ISABELLA ROSSELLINI (R)), SAYING (PLEASE NOTE: SHOT OF TRIO AT START OF SOUNDBITE): "I think Lawrence (Fiennes' character Cardinal Lawrence) is a man who is acutely aware of the challenges of, how do you keep the simplicity of the teaching, the directness of the teaching when you're in, you are part of a huge power structure? But the power structure is meant to be a guide. And so there are these sort of difficult contradictions that I think Lawrence wrestles with and I think the script also provokes these questions. But who is worthy of this odd but very powerful, unique position of being the leader of the Catholic Church? Who is it that's got the right qualities? And also it can provoke questions about the very, what do, what do we, what is the need of a church? Should be like, I think is a big debate, but I don't have, I'm not a Catholic. I was brought up Catholic. I have a definitely have a curiosity about the spiritual path philosophically, about what it is, the spiritual questions that we can ask ourselves that make us hopefully go through life better, stronger, more humble. Those are the questions that different faiths give us. I'm interested in, but I'm not I'm not Catholic."
- Embargoed: 28th November 2024 12:08
- Keywords: Conclave Isabella Rossellini Pope film Ralph Fiennes Stanley Tucci Vatican director Edward Berger
- Location: VARIOUS
- City: VARIOUS
- Country: UK
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Europe,Film
- Reuters ID: LVA002945913112024RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: His latest drama is set in the Vatican but director Edward Berger says "Conclave" is about people striving for power and could take place anywhere.
Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci star in the thriller as two cardinals struggling along with the other clergymen to decide who to elect as the next pope.
"It could take place in Washington, D.C.... (or) in Downing Street... whenever that power vacuum exists, there's going to be people striving for it... and stabbing each other in the back and trying to manipulate their way into power," Berger told Reuters in October.
Fiennes' character Cardinal Lawrence, who as dean of the College of Cardinals, has to oversee proceedings in the conclave and handle the egos of the men hoping to get the top job and the scandals that arise.
The two-time Oscar nominated actor who was brought up Catholic but is not committed to any one faith, said the film also provokes questions about the relevance of the church and who leads it.
"Who is worthy of this odd but very powerful, unique position of being the leader of the Catholic Church? Who is it that's got the right qualities?" said Fiennes.
The handful of favourites who emerge in the movie are a mixed bunch with their own secrets and views, ranging from cardinals concerned with issues such as sexuality and multiculturalism to Tucci's Cardinal Bellini, who would like to modernise the church.
"It was fascinating to play a man who is so devoted to his faith but still understands the complexity of human behaviour... And the power of the church and... how powerful that power is if it's in the wrong hands," said Tucci.
Based on the novel by British writer Robert Harris, Berger, whose 2022 world war one film "All Quiet on the Western Front" won four Oscars, said his aim was to "bring the Pope down to earth."
"They (the cardinals) have cell phones, they vape, they smoke. The Pope ends up in a plastic body back in the back of an ambulance," he said.
"We're all kind of the same... I wanted to take that spirituality... and make it quite mundane."
"Conclave", which co-stars Isabella Rossellini as Sister Agnes, opens in the UK on November 15.
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