Producer Tessa Ross, Screenwriter Peter Strong Discuss 'Conclave' in Exclusive Q&A
The Envelope Live Q&A welcomed Peter Straughan, Tessa Ross, Mike Jackman, and Volker Bertelmann, moderated by The Envelope's Mark Olsen to discuss 2024's 'Conclave,' a mystery/thriller about the selection of a new Pope that uncovers secrets, lies and scandal.
The Q&A featured producer Tessa Ross, screenwriter Peter Strong, composer Volker Bertelmann, and producer Mike Jackman discussing their collaborative work on a film adaptation of Robert Harris's novel.
'It became very exciting and then eventually the whole novel was delivered... such a brilliantly unfolding story in that world,' said Ross.
Jackman discussed the logistical challenges of filming in Rome and recreating iconic locations, while Volker talks about the unique sound design choices he made, using unconventional instruments to evoke an ethereal quality suitable for the film's setting. 'I came on board... and got to spend just an amazing time with the team... helping take that vision that he had and make it sort of work,' he said.
The conversation shifted to the film's relationship with Catholicism and its commentary on power dynamics within traditional institutions, with Ross and Strong expressing their hopes that the film encourages audiences to think about broader themes of change. The session concluded with insights into the reception of the film, with the team expressing their thrill at audience reactions, particularly to its humorous aspects, and how the innovative storytelling engages viewers.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Chicago Tribune
5 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
At this museum, no one will shush you, and you can touch the objects
LONDON (AP) — A museum is like an iceberg. Most of it is out of sight. Most big collections have only a fraction of their items on display, with the rest locked away in storage. But not at the new V&A East Storehouse, where London's Victoria and Albert Museum has opened up its storerooms for visitors to view — and in many cases touch — the items within. The 170,000-square-foot building, bigger than 30 basketball courts, holds more than 250,000 objects, 350,000 books and 1,000 archives. Wandering its huge, three-story collections hall feels like a trip to IKEA, but with treasures at every turn. The V&A is Britain's national museum of design, performance and applied arts, and the storehouse holds aisle after aisle of open shelves lined with everything from ancient Egyptian shoes to Roman pottery, ancient Indian sculptures, Japanese armor, Modernist furniture, a Piaggio scooter and a brightly painted garbage can from the Glastonbury Festival. 'It's 5,000 years of creativity,' said Kate Parsons, the museum's director of collection care and access. It took more than a year, and 379 truckloads, to move the objects from the museum's former storage facility in west London to the new site. In the museum's biggest innovation, anyone can book a one-on-one appointment with any object, from a Vivienne Westwood mohair sweater to a tiny Japanese netsuke figurine. Most of the items can even be handled, with exceptions for hazardous materials, such as Victorian wallpaper that contains arsenic. The Order an Object service offers 'a behind-the-scenes, very personal, close interaction' with the collection, Parsons said as she showed off one of the most requested items so far: a 1954 pink silk taffeta Balenciaga evening gown. Nearby in one of the study rooms were a Bob Mackie-designed military tunic worn by Elton John on his 1981 world tour and two silk kimonos laid out ready for a visit. Parsons said there has been 'a phenomenal response' from the public since the building opened at the end of May. Visitors have ranged from people seeking inspiration for their weddings to art students and 'someone last week who was using equipment to measure the thread count of an 1850 dress.' She says strangers who have come to view different objects often strike up conversations. 'It's just wonderful,' Parsons said. 'You never quite know. … We have this entirely new concept and of course we hope and we believe and we do audience research and we think that people are going to come. But until they actually did, and came through the doors, we didn't know.' The V&A's flagship museum in London's affluent South Kensington district, founded in the 1850s, is one of Britain's biggest tourist attractions. The Storehouse is across town in the Olympic Park, a post-industrial swath of east London that hosted the 2012 summer games. As part of post-Olympic regeneration, the area is now home to a new cultural quarter that includes arts and fashion colleges, a dance theater and another V&A branch, due to open next year. The Storehouse has hired dozens of young people recruited from the surrounding area, which includes some of London's most deprived districts. Designed by Diller, Scofidio and Renfro, the firm behind New York's High Line park, the building has space to show off objects too big to have been displayed very often before, including a 17th-century Mughal colonnade from India, a 1930s modernist office designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and a Pablo Picasso-designed stage curtain for a 1924 ballet, some more than 30 feet high. Also on a monumental scale are large chunks of vanished buildings, including a gilded 15th-century ceiling from the Torrijos Palace in Spain and a slab of the concrete façade of Robin Hood Gardens, a demolished London housing estate. Not a hushed temple of art, this is a working facility. Conversation is encouraged and forklifts beep in the background. Workers are finishing the David Bowie Center, a home for the late London-born musician's archive of costumes, musical instruments, letters, lyrics and photos that is due to open at the Storehouse in September. One aim of the Storehouse is to expose the museum's inner workings, through displays delving into all aspects of the conservators' job – from the eternal battle against insects to the numbering system for museum contents — and a viewing gallery to watch staff at work. The increased openness comes as museums in the U.K. are under increasing scrutiny over the origins of their collections. They face pressure to return objects acquired in sometimes contested circumstances during the days of the British Empire Senior curator Georgia Haseldine said the V&A is adopting a policy of transparency, 'so that we can talk very openly about where things have come from, how they ended up in the V&A's collection, and also make sure that researchers, as well as local people and people visiting from all around the world, have free and equitable access to these objects. 'On average, museums have one to five percent of their collections on show,' she said. 'What we're doing here is saying, 'No, this whole collection belongs to all of us. This is a national collection and you should have access to it.' That is our fundamental principle.'
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Sunwing Vacations, Make-A-Wish® Canada and Planet Hollywood Cancun come together to fulfill the wish of an all inclusive vacation experience for 30 children with critical illnesses
First ever Group Wish Trip with three great brands takes flight from Montreal on June 12, with wish kids and their families enjoying a tropical escape to Planet Hollywood Cancun MONTREAL, June 9, 2025 /CNW/ - On June 12, Sunwing Vacations, Make-A-Wish Canada, and Planet Hollywood Cancun will come together to make wishes come true for children facing critical illnesses. Thirty children, who wished for a tropical escape, along with their families, will experience an unforgettable getaway at Planet Hollywood Cancun in Mexico, creating joyful memories that will last a lifetime. This special wish trip embodies Make-A-Wish Canada's mission to deliver joy, hope, and much-needed rest to families facing extraordinary challenges. "We're so excited to partner with Sunwing Vacations and Planet Hollywood Cancun to launch this first-of-its-kind group wish trip—an experience made even more special by its focus on serving Quebec-based families and other Canadian francophone communities," said Meaghan Stovel McKnight, Chief Executive Officer of Make-A-Wish Canada. "From the gate to the resort and all the way back home, we're confident this experience will bring much-needed strength and healing to these wish kids and their families." Departing from Montreal, Canada, the Wish families will enjoy a special Planet Hollywood-branded charter flight experience, featuring caring, bilingual crew, creating a warm and welcoming journey from start to finish. Upon arrival into Cancun, Mexico, the families will be welcomed by Sunwing's trusted local partner, NexusTours, and transported to Planet Hollywood Cancun in style on upgraded private transfers. With every detail designed for star treatment, this all-inclusive resort was chosen for the sense of joy it offers and what it represents for families looking to reconnect, have fun, and create lasting memories together on the pristine shores of Playa Mujeres. "At Blue Diamond Resorts, we're incredibly proud to be part of something so meaningful. Knowing that our Resort plays a role in creating unforgettable memories for these families is a true honor. Planet Hollywood Cancun was built around the magic of storytelling and once-in-a-lifetime experiences and helping bring dreams to life for so many young guests perfectly reflects that spirit," said Jurgen Stutz, Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing & Distribution for Blue Diamond Resorts. Last year, 72 per cent of the wishes Make-A-Wish Canada granted were travel wishes. This highlights the essential role that partnerships with travel organizations play in making these life-changing experiences possible for every eligible child still waiting for their wish to be granted. Sunwing Vacations generously donated the chartered aircraft to make wish travel possible for these 30 families. "At Sunwing Vacations, we believe in the power of travel to uplift, heal, and connect," said Lyne Chayer, Vice President, Sunwing Vacations Group Quebec. "We are incredibly proud to support this first-ever all-inclusive group Wish Trip to Mexico, helping bring joy and cherished memories to children and families who truly deserve a moment of magic. Partnering with Make-A-Wish Canada and Planet Hollywood Cancun on such a meaningful initiative speaks to our shared values of care, compassion, and community." Wishes wouldn't be possible without the dedication and generosity of the Make-A-Wish Canada community. From individual donors to corporate partners, from volunteers to supporters, everyone has the power to help grant wishes. But more support is needed for Make-A-Wish® Canada to achieve their vision of granting the wish of every eligible child. To learn more about the importance, meaning and excitement behind this group wish trip, view this video featuring Meaghan Stovel McKnight talking about the anticipation of the Wish experience: Together, Make-A-Wish Canada, Sunwing Vacations and Planet Hollywood Hotels & Resorts are proud to help make wishes come true — and are excited to kick off the summer with smiles. Keep an eye on Sunwing's and Make-A-Wish Canada social media channels for all the fun that will be had with Make-A-Wish Canada at Planet Hollywood Cancun. About Sunwing Vacations As the leading vacation provider in Canada, Sunwing Vacations offers more vacation packages to the south than any other vacation provider with convenient direct service from cities across Canada to popular sun destinations across the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. This scale enables Sunwing Vacations to offer customers exclusive deals at top-rated resorts in the most popular vacation destinations. Sunwing Vacations customers benefit from the assistance of our trusted partner in destination, NexusTours, whose representatives greet customers upon arrival and support them throughout their vacation journey. For more information, please visit About Make-A-Wish Canada Make-A-Wish Canada creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. We are on a quest to bring every eligible child's wish to life because a wish is an integral part of a child's treatment journey. Research shows children who have wishes granted can build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight a critical illness. As an independently operating affiliate of Make-A-Wish International, Make-A-Wish Canada is part of the network of the world's leading children's wish-granting organization. We serve children in every community in Canada, and in 50 countries worldwide. Make-A-Wish Canada has granted more than 40,000 wishes over the past 40 years with 2,011 of them last year alone. For the second year in a row, Make-A-Wish Canada has been named a Great Place to Work and in 2024 was named to the Top 100 Best Workplaces for Giving Back. For more information about Make-A-Wish Canada, visit About Planet Hollywood Hotels & Resorts Planet Hollywood Hotels & Resorts bring big-screen excitement to some of the most sought-after locales for an all-inclusive experience, where guests can Vacation Like A Star™. From the pristine shores of Cancun to the tranquil beaches of Costa Rica, these all-ages resorts feature authentic Hollywood memorabilia, a world of flavors, themed entertainment and exclusive activities for the entire family, as well as a premium service with the Star Class™ category for a full A-list treatment. While, Planet Hollywood Adult Scene, offer an all-inclusive adults-only glam getaway (18+) ideal for a romantic escape or a fun-filled adventure with friends that will turn any vacation into the center of fascination and attention with glam and exclusivity. This engaging and interactive experience at Planet Hollywood Hotels & Resorts, includes differentiated brand features and amenities, such as PHabulous Bed™, Plugged In™, Main Event Guarantee™ and star-quality accommodations. To learn more about Planet Hollywood Hotels & Resorts, visit SOURCE Sunwing Vacations Inc. View original content to download multimedia: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
USA Today
8 hours ago
- USA Today
'Love Island USA' cast: Everyone who's entered the villa in Season 7
'Love Island USA' cast: Everyone who's entered the villa in Season 7 "Love Island: USA" Season 7 has just begun, but strong connections are forming, tears are flowing, and bombshells are making their mark in the villa. In Episode 6, the islanders recoupled, and fans watched one of the original cast members pack their bags to go home. Throughout the season, USA TODAY will keep fans updated on all the happenings inside the Fiji villa. Here's a recap of all the islanders who have entered the villa for "Love Island USA" Season 7: 'Love Island USA': See Season 7 schedule Every islander who has entered the villa so far Women: Chelley, 27, from Orlando, Florida Huda, 24, from Raleigh, North Carolina Belle-A, 22, from Honolulu, Hawaii Olandria, 27, from Decatur, Alabama Yulissa, 27, from Miami, Florida (Removed) Cierra, 25, from Arizona (Bombshell) Men: Ace, 22, from Los Angeles, California Taylor, 24, from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Nicolas, 24, from Jacksonville, Florida Austin, 26, from Northville, Michigan Jeremiah, 25, from Los Angeles, California Charlie, 27, from the UK (Bombshell) Who are the newest bombshells? Amaya, 25, from New York City Hannah, 23, from Tucson, Arizona The bombshells unexpectedly entered the show during a steamy game of "Getting to Fourth Base" in Episode 4. Which islanders are paired after the dramatic recoupling? Huda and Jeremiah Olandria and Taylor Hannah and Charlie Amaya and Ace Chelley and Austin Cierra and Nic Which islander was dumped from the island? Belle-A, who was at the center of a love triangle with Nic and Cierra, was dumped from the island on June 8. "I feel like I always put the wrong people first. I've always have in my life, but I know my heart is the prettiest thing about me, and I'm going to keep my head held high because somebody else is going to see my worth and my value," she said during her goodbye speech in front of the fire pit. "I trust God's plan." Which islander left the show? During the voice narration in Episode 2, viewers were told that Yulissa Escobar left the villa. Peacock has not commented on her departure. However, the exit came amid an online uproar over resurfaced clips of her using a racial epithet on a podcast. Escobar, a 7-year-old Miami businesswoman, responded to the controversy in a lengthy statement on Instagram. "First, I want to apologize for using a word I had no right in using. Podcast clips from years ago have recently resurfaced, and I want to address it directly," Escobar wrote in the caption of a June 6 Instagram post. "In those clips, I used a word I never should've used, a racial slur. I used it ignorantly, not fully understanding the weight, history, or pain behind it. I wasn't trying to be offensive or harmful, but I recognize now that intention doesn't excuse impact. And the impact of that word is real. It's tied to generations of trauma, and it is not mine to use." She said she has "changed a lot since then" and acknowledged, "Growth means recognizing when you were wrong, even if it's uncomfortable, and choosing to move forward with humility and accountability." How to watch 'Love Island USA' Season 7 "Love Island USA" is available to stream on Peacock. Starting next week, June 9, the show's streaming schedule will be Thursdays to Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET, meaning the only day without a new episode will be Wednesdays. Contributing: KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@
