3,200 percent. That is the massive increase in streaming viewership of the movie Conclave

in the first week after Pope Francis's death. Viewers turned to the film, which was nominated

for multiple Oscars and won for Best Adapted Screenplay, to help them understand one of the

most consequential and secretive elections on the planet.

The movie, starring Ray Fine, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rosalini,

is based on the best-selling novel written by former journalist Robert Harris.

Jeff Bennett spoke with Harris recently to break down the complicated process of electing the next pontiff.

Robert Harris, welcome to the News Hour.

Thank you for having me on.

Many people are now turning to your novel and the movie based on your book to better understand what will transpire.

How true to life is what's depicted in your book and on screen?

Pretty true to life, I think, I hope. I was a journalist before I became a novelist,

and I did a lot of research on conclaves. Before I started writing, the procedure of the

conclave is very clearly laid down by the Vatican,

so that's easy to follow.

They also gave me a lot of help on locations.

I was able to see the places that are now about to be used for the conclave.

And I talked to a cardinal who'd been involved

in the whole process.

We are less than a week out from the start

of the next conclave.

Help us understand what's happening behind the scenes.

...