The Palm Springs International Film Awards will honor Edward Berger’s Catholic drama “Conclave” with the Ensemble Performance Award on Jan. 3 at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, which runs Jan. 2-13.
Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Lucien Msmaty are expected to be in attendance to receive the award.
“Conclave is a thought-provoking drama that delivers intense suspense through an outstanding ensemble cast including Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Lucian Msamati and Isabella Rossellini,” said the festival chairman. Nachatar Singh Chandni. “Together they deliver powerful, layered performances in Edward Berger’s film that will wow audiences throughout this awards season. For these actors’ remarkable and captivating characterizations, we present the Conclave with the Ensemble Performance of the Year award.”
Based on Robert Harris’s 2016 novel, “Conclave” follows Thomas Lawrence (Fiennes), a cardinal with a waning faith who must lead the selection of a new pope after the first’s sudden death.
Previous winners of the Ensemble Performance Award include the cast of “King Richard,” “Mary Poppins Returns,” “Hidden Figures,” “The Big Short,” “The Imitation Game,” “American Hustle,” and Argo,” and “Young Adult.” “The Social Network,” “Revolutionary Road,” “Hairspray,” and “Babylon.”
“Conclave” premiered at the Telluride Film Festival and has emerged as a serious awards contender with the potential to take home Oscar gold in multiple categories in March. diverse Film critic Peter Debruge rated the film a Critics’ Choice, praising it as “one of those rare films that respects the audience’s attention, even when it sneaks a few tricks behind their backs, like the way a nominee climbs with every successful vote.”