Overview

• The History of Sound premiered in competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, earning a nine-minute standing ovation.
• Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor star as Boston Conservatory students who bond over folk music and navigate a complex relationship during and after WWI.
• Critics praised the lead performances and the film's focus on music but criticized its restrained depiction of intimacy and pacing.
• Director Oliver Hermanus and Paul Mescal rejected comparisons to Brokeback Mountain, emphasizing the film's focus on joy and companionship rather than repression.
• The film, adapted from Ben Shattuck's short story, will continue its festival run before a theatrical release via distributor MUBI later in 2025.