The History of Sound is a 2025 historical romantic drama film directed by Oliver Hermanus, written by Ben Shattuck, and based on his short story of the same name. It follows the relationship between Lionel (Paul Mescal) and David (Josh O’Connor), who meet in 1917 while attending the Boston Music Conservatory, and after World War I travel together recording folk songs of their countrymen in rural Maine in the summer of 1920.
The film had its world premiere at the main competition of the 78th Cannes Film Festival on May 21, 2025, where it was nominated for the Palme d’Or. It is scheduled to be released in the United States on September 12, 2025.
Plot
“The History of Sound” follows two young men — Lionel (Paul Mescal) and David (Josh O’Connor) — in the shadows of WWI who are determined to record the lives, voices and music of their American countrymen. Both attending the Boston Conservatory in 1917, bond over their shared love of folk music. They reconnect a few years later, embarking on a song collecting trip in the backwaters of Maine. As they begin to log the events, the two fall in love.
The story explores their evolving romance and how this shared endeavor shapes their lives. The narrative later sees Lionel in Italy, grappling with unanswered letters from David, and a journey back to the New England Conservatory, drawn by an enduring unexpressed love. The film is described as a “deeply sad movie about thwarted love,” but the director Oliver Hermanus aimed for a fulfilling portrayal of a same-sex relationship that isn’t solely defined by struggle or societal transgression.
Cast
- Paul Mescal as Lionel
- Chris Cooper as Older Lionel
- Josh O’Connor as David
- Molly Price as Lionel’s mother
- Raphael Sbarge as Lionel Sr.
- Hadley Robinson as Belle
- Emma Canning as Clarissa
- Briana Middleton as Thankful Mary Swain
- Gary Raymond as William
- Alison Bartlett as Samantha
- Michael Schantz as Bob
Production
The History of Sound originated with the production company End Cue who found the short story of the same name in an obscure literary periodical and brought the project on board and commenced the author Ben Shattuck to adapt his own work for the screen. Andrew Kortschak and Lisa Ciuffetti of End Cue structured the writer’s deal and provided development financing to Shattuck. End Cue hired on Hermanus after the treatment stage of development. Kortschak, Ciuffetti and Hermanus guided Shattuck during the writing process just as the COVID-19 pandemic started so much of the development with Shattuck was remotely between Los Angeles, Massachusetts and South Africa, with Hermanus participating during lockdown from his home in Barrydale, South Africa.
At the end of October 2021, the film was announced along with its leads Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor. Producers include Ciuffetti, Kortschak, and Andrea Roa, as well as Tim Haslam for Embankment Films and Sara Murphy. Principal photography was originally going to take place on location in the United Kingdom, United States, and Italy in summer 2022, but was postponed because Mescal and O’Connor had scheduling conflicts. Production was rescheduled for after Hermanus completed Mary & George, starting in Massachusetts.
Hermanus confirmed it officially commenced on February 28, 2024.O’Connor learned to play the piano for his part; his scenes were filmed first, before he left to promote his film Challengers in April.
Crew allegedly attached to The History of Sound were spotted at the restaurant 10th & Willow in Hoboken, New Jersey, which was closed for filming in early March, and O’Connor and Mescal were photographed together in costume for the first time. Another New Jersey location The History of Sound was filmed at is the Oakley Farm Museum in Freehold Township. The blacksmith shop, located at the rear of the property, was turned into a Maine cabin and visited by stars Mescal and O’Connor. The location was one of two in the entire state that End Cue and Film4 were seeking. In April 2024, production moved to Tarquinia, Italy.
Release and Reception
In June 2024, it was reported the film would not be ready in time for the autumn festivals due to its score and sound production and would instead aim for a 2025 Cannes Film Festival debut. In February 2025, Mubi and Focus Features/Universal Pictures International acquired North American and international distribution rights respectively. In April 2025, it was announced that the film would have its world premiere in competition at the Cannes Film Festival on 21 May 2025. The film is scheduled to be released in the United States on September 12, 2025.
Critical Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 68% of 25 critics’ reviews are positive. Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 63 out of 100, based on 15 critics, indicating “generally favorable” reviews.
Davide Abbatescianni of Cineuropa described it as “a heartfelt, occasionally flawed, but ultimately moving film that navigates themes of intimacy, remembrance and cultural preservation through a uniquely melodic lens.”
Accolades
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cannes Film Festival | 24 May 2025 | Palme d’Or | Oliver Hermanus | Nominated | |
| Queer Palm | Nominated |
Critics Review – Tim Robey Daily Telegraph UK
The History of Sound has fashioned a deliberate non-epic from wispy material, keeping such a tight lid on sentiment it’s like an obstinate clamshell with its secrets. Expectations need recalibrating beforehand to not feel lightly underwhelmed.
Powered by Wikipedia, Rotten Tomatoes.
