Conclave

Novel by Richard Harris (2018). Film by Edward Berger (2024).

Conclave is the first film I've ever seen that depicts someone Like Me in a particular way (if you've watched it then you'll know).

See also: Satyr's review.



“Perhaps it is my difference that will make me more useful. I think again of your sermon. I know what it is to exist between the world's certainties.”

a monochrome digital pencil drawing of Vincent Benítez from the film ‘Conclave,’ looking up at the camera with a calm expression. a tear trickles down one cheek; on the other side of his face, blood trickles from a cut on his forehead. around his head is a crown of thorns. he is wearing a zucchetto vincent at the turtle pond with a text post by tumblr user leopardheart. it says 'the ideal man has an inner sense of kindness and whimsy and makes noises at baby birds until they sit onto his shoulders'

Conclave videos I've made

(Warning: youtube links!)

Conclave fics I've published

(AO3 links)



tumblr text posts collection

frederick-the-great: Love how Vincent Benítez showed up at the Conclave and within five minutes said, Hello! :) I'm here to remind you all of the preferential option for the poor. Also these women have just fed you. Thank them.

innocentiusxiv: benitez is literally everything to me. he has ptsd. he's always smiling. he names himself after the virtue of innocence. he has the crown of thorns. he's the archbishop of kabul. he's even intersex.

emjee: Thinking about how the main character of Conclave is a man with doubts who is not enjoying himself and his name is Thomas Lawrence which in terms of saints translates to Man With Doubt Being Roasted Alive. It’s so on the nose and I absolutely love it and wouldn’t change it for the world.

crashout-cain: Lomeli is so funny bc he's constantly on guard against pride so he never wants to be disrespectful or uncharitable to anyone, but you can tell that under the surface, in the place before feelings become fully-formed thoughts, he's always this 🤏🏻 close to calling any one of his high-ranking colleagues an insufferable jackass. Working with Tremblay is his actual greatest trial

fluentisonus: the thing is I am still thinking about that bit in conclave right before they're about to vote when the breath of wind & birdsong comes in through the window that had recently been violently blown in to let the light and air into what has til then been a suffocatingly still & sterile & dark & enclosed environment & it ruffles all the pages on the desks & they all pause and look up. like oh god is there

queer-benoit-blanc: Thinking about Conclave book Benitez, who didn't have an appendectomy, but got injured by a car bomb and had to be operated on, at which point he found out about his uterus. Who recognises the explosion in Rome as a car bomb and tells Lomeli (Lawrence).
A sudden journey of self-acceptance and reorientating himself within his faith, kickstarted by the same violence that ultimately sees him elected Pope.
It makes the decision to be called Innocent feel that bit more defiant.

maester-of-spreadsheets: Other stuff from the Conclave book that I wish was in the movie:

more coming soon - illuminators hard at work