‘Conclave’ Prays for Oscar Attention: How Do Religious Movies Perform With Academy Voters?
variety.comClayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Will the Oscars answer “Conclave’s” prayers? Edward Berger’s mystery thriller has been one of the buzziest films to emerge from the fall festivals.
Adapted from Robert Harris’ 2016 novel, the film premiered at Telluride, where it received raves from attendees. Since then, its awards prospects have grown, especially following its Audience Award wins at the Mill Valley and Middleburg fests.
Those regional accolades helped propel future best picture nominees such as “American Fiction” (2023) and “Belfast” (2021) and best picture winner “Green Book” (2018). “Conclave” has popular appeal, but will its religious themes be an advantage or a potential hurdle in the Oscar race? Read: You can see all Academy Award predictions in all 23 categories on one page on the Variety Awards Circuit.
Films that explore issues of faith, and the Catholic Church’s tangled history, have long held a unique place in Hollywood. Critics, and sometimes audiences, have responded to the way they explore moral and spiritual questions, which has led to Oscar attention.
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