Conclave reveals the hidden power of women in the Vatican

In a Vatican filled with powerful men in crimson robes, it is a silent woman in a black habit who holds one of the most strategic positions during the selection of a new Pope.

- John Lui

In the mystery thriller Conclave, Italian-American actress Isabella Rossellini, 72, plays a nun named Sister Agnes.

During a conclave – the centuries-old, closely guarded meeting where cardinals gather to select a new pope – the clerics must live at the Casa Santa Marta, the building run by nuns overseen by Sister Agnes.

Speaking at an online press event for the film, which opens in Singapore cinemas on Jan 2, Rossellini talks about the "silent authority" of women in the Catholic Church.

"The Church is traditionally patriarchal, with men making all the decisions. Women cannot even conduct a mass. The cardinals are all men. Women have a subservient role, but they don't lack authority. You can have authority even in silence," she says.

In Conclave, Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) must manage the conclave following the unexpected death of the Pope.

As he struggles with his own questions of faith, he uncovers secrets amid the political manoeuvring of the cardinals.

Sister Agnes is an unexpected source of information about the true nature of the men vying to be the next head of the Church.