with Pope Francis just a few weeks away from his 88th birthday there are those who are already plotting to decide who will be his successor timely then that just down the Tyber River from the Vatican at the Rome Film Festival the film conclave is a bit of a hit in this film manipulative backstabbing Cardinals throw their morality straight out the window as they try to decide who will be the Pope’s successor conclaves are centuries old tradition in which Cardinals are locked literally by key inside the cistin chapel and cast secret ballots to decide who will be the next Pope they are supposed to be guided by the Holy Spirit but it is well known that a lot of back room wheeling and dealing always goes on in conclaves this thriller is a little bit too close to the real workings of the Vatican and it might be a little bit too close to home both literally and figuratively for Pope Francis