Il Papa (Habemus Papam) - Michel Piccoli
To be honest, this could have been any number of selections, and George Carlin's Cardinal Glick (from Dogma) almost made the cut, but given the circumstances of Pope Benedict's resignation, you can't really look any further than Nanni Moretti's comedy Pope from 2011's Habemus Papam (We Have A Pope.) Like Benedict, Il Papa thought himself unsuitable for the highest religious office after a protracted election process, and like Benedict he was of considerable age when elected, but unlike his real life counterpart, Moretti's Pope chose to run away and hide in order to ignore his duties, before eventually handing back the honour of being Pope as he announces his unsuitability. Moretti's gentle but politicised comedy was one of the most enjoyable experiences of Cannes, and the presentation of the Conclave as sheltered and even child-like was a bold but not particularly harmful statement on the nature of the Church. And the critical tone is probably another good reason that Moretti's Il Papa would be wholly unsuitable. What do you think of these suggestions? Share your thoughts below, and if you don't like them, forgive me.