I Attended The New York City Premiere Of ‘Conclave’ — Here Are My Thoughts

Oct 24

When it comes to my greatest passions in life, the things I dedicate my mind, energy, and heart to, two things come to mind. First, my faith, which gives my reality shape and definition, gives my life purpose, and gives me a lens through which to see the world. And second is story — the art and beauty that color in the world that God made, convey truth, and tell meaningful tales of human experience.

So naturally, I jumped at the opportunity to attend the New York City premiere of director Edward Berger’s new film, Conclave (in theaters October 25th), which tells the surprisingly thrilling story of the selection of a new Pope, a highly secretive process; after the unexpected passing of the current, widely loved Pope, Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with overseeing the election.

Upon arriving to the premiere, I was ushered onto the red carpet, which certainly made me feel like a movie star. It was so much fun to get dressed up, to see the flashing lights, to take in the undeniable buzz of actors, filmmakers, and photographers whirling around.

*Photo Courtesy of Starpix / Marion Curtis*

Even after years of working in the entertainment industry, I still felt like an awe-struck little girl when I saw Conclave’s stars appear on the scene — Ralph Fiennes (Voldemort!), John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci, and Isabella Rossellini.

But in the darkened theater, sitting in front of the screen, is where the real test came. I won’t spoil any of the thrilling twists and turns of the film’s plot, but a few things stuck out to me as I watched it.

First, the utter beauty of its aesthetic. It’s been years since I’ve seen a film so artistically well done, so masterfully shot and presented. Sadly, too often in the faith-based world, movies have come to be known for their low quality. So to see a film about faith that was not just merely adequate but visually stunning, brilliantly acted, and breathtakingly scored was gratifying.

Without giving too much away about the story, Conclave dealt with something that faith-based films often shy away from: difficult subjects like doubt, crises of faith, and the human proclivity for selfishness and fallenness, all of which are central issues in almost all of our lives but too often ignored by the art produced by people of faith.

While the narrative of Conclave may be controversial and evocative, this film is a worthy piece of cinema to see, whether or not you agree with its premises, as it is willing to engage with big, difficult, messy questions in a stunningly beautiful way. Conclave ought to be the blueprint for how we as Christian artists go about creating our own art that reflects our faith.

And lastly, because this is Wallflower, allow me to go over what I wore on the red carpet (aside from a handsome date on my arm, of course)…

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