With the nominations having now been revealed, the countdown is well and truly on to this year's Academy Awards – as various big-hitting films battle it out on the campaign trail for the top prizes.

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One film that stands a decent chance in quite a few of the major categories – including Best Picture – is Edgar Berger's papal thriller Conclave, which racked up eight nods on the back of a host of great reviews since its release last November.

Stars Ralph Fiennes and Isabella Rossellini are among those to be recognised, and although there was a slightly surprising omission for Berger himself, the film is also represented in Adapted Screenplay and Best Score, among others.

Ahead of the film's release last year, we spoke to Berger and the cast about the film, with Fiennes explaining how the film wasn't intended as a "cynical takedown of the Catholic church."

He said: "It's not an attack on the Catholic Church [even though] if you wanted to make that for them, you probably could. But I think it asks questions about faith."

Intrigued and wondering how to watch the film in light of its recent nominations? Read on for everything you need to know about how to watch Conclave.

How to watch Conclave – is it streaming?

The film is not yet available to stream for free with any subscriptions, but the good news is that it has been released digitally to rent and buy – so it is possible to watch Conclave from the comfort of your own home. It's available on a number of premium video on demand platforms including Prime Video, Apple TV and Sky Store, with the prize currently standing at £15.99 for rental and £19.99 for purchase.

As for when the film might be added to any of the subscription platforms, there's no indication just yet –but we'll keep this page updated as and when we hear any news.

Meanwhile, despite being released way back in November, the film is still showing in a few cinemas around the country – and it's possible the number of screenings could increase following its Oscar nominations. So, if you still fancy seeing it on the big screen, you should check out the listings of your local cinema to see if you're in luck.

What is Conclave about?

Brían F O'Byrne as Cardinal O'Malley and Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence in Conclave.
Brían F O'Byrne as Cardinal O'Malley and Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence in Conclave. Focus Features

The film is a political thriller based on the best-selling 2016 novel of the same name by Robert Harris, exploring events during a papal conclave to elect the new pope. The process is overseen by Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), who soon finds himself caught up in debates between the liberal and conservative factions of the Catholic church – while various scandals come to light involving several of the runners and riders.

An official synopsis reads: "Conclave follows one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events – selecting the new Pope. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope.

"Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders have gathered from around the world and are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence uncovers a trail of deep secrets left in the dead Pope’s wake, secrets which could shake the foundations of the Church."

Conclave cast – who stars in the film?

The film is a star-studded affair, with the cast led by Ralph Fiennes – who has been Oscar-nominated for his role as Cardinal Lawrence. He's not the only nominee among the cast, either, with Isabella Rossellini impressively scoring a nod for her supporting role as Sister Agnes, despite relatively little screen time.

Other big names featured in the film include Stanley Tucci and John Lithgow, while there are also a number of international stars. You can find the full cast list below:

  • Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence
  • Stanley Tucci as Cardinal Aldo Bellini
  • John Lithgow as Cardinal Joseph Tremblay
  • Sergio Castellitto as Cardinal Goffredo Tedesco
  • Isabella Rossellini as Sister Agnes
  • Lucian Msamati as Cardinal Joshua Adeyemi
  • Carlos Diehz as Cardinal Vincent Benitez
  • Brían F O'Byrne as Monsignor Raymond O'Malley
  • Jacek Koman as Archbishop Janusz Woźniak
  • Merab Ninidze as Cardinal Sabbadin
  • Thomas Loibl as Archbishop Mandorff
  • Loris Loddi as Cardinal Villanueva
  • Balkissa Maiga as Sister Shanumi

Conclave trailer

You can find a trailer for Conclave below:

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Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

Authors

Patrick Cremona, RadioTimes.com's senior film writer looking at the camera and smiling
Patrick CremonaSenior Film Writer

Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.

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