Get ready to swoon. The first trailer for The History of Sound has officially dropped, and it’s giving brooding stares, folk melodies, and queer longing in sepia tones.
Starring Paul Mescal (Aftersun) and Josh O’Connor (Challengers), Oliver Hermanus’ latest film is shaping up to be a major awards season contender, and a poetic exploration of a love that echoes across decades.
A Queer Period Piece with Musical Roots
Adapted from Ben Shattuck’s short story of the same name, The History of Sound begins in 1917 at the Boston Conservatory, where Lionel (Mescal), a gifted young music student, meets fellow singer David (O’Connor). The two connect over their mutual passion for folk music, sharing voices and glances in equal measure. But just as quickly as their bond begins to deepen, life intervenes, with David heading off to serve in World War I.
Years later, the pair reunite and set out on a journey through the forests and coastlines of Maine to collect and preserve traditional American folk songs. Their expedition becomes the backdrop for a quiet yet powerful romance that profoundly shapes both their lives.
Chris Cooper narrates as an older Lionel, looking back on the season of love that defined him.
Queer Love, Without the Tropes
What’s refreshing about The History of Sound is its decision to take a gentler approach to its central romance. There’s no gratuitous intimacy or trauma porn here. Instead, the emotional charge of the film comes from the tender exchanges between two men navigating affection, companionship, and shared artistry.
Speaking at Cannes, Mescal told IndieWire, “What feels slightly different about this from [other] romantic relationships onscreen… physical touch isn’t the priority. It’s intellectual stimulation, it’s friendship.”
That doesn’t mean the chemistry is lacking. In fact, early reviews from the film’s Cannes premiere praised the subtlety and restraint in the performances.
An Awards Season Favorite in the Making
After a buzzy debut at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, The History of Sound has already been tipped as one to watch in the upcoming Oscar race. MUBI will release the film in theaters starting September 12, just in time to stir up awards chatter.
Both Mescal and O’Connor are no strangers to critical acclaim, and here they’re perfectly cast, bringing depth, ache, and nuance to a story that could easily veer into melodrama but never does.
Folk Songs and First Loves
The film’s evocative setting, sweeping cinematography, and haunting musical moments only deepen the emotional resonance. As Lionel and David collect forgotten songs in the rural corners of America, they’re also preserving something more fragile, the memory of a love just as fleeting and precious.
For fans of slow-burn romance, period dramas, and queer stories that dare to be quiet, The History of Sound promises to be a must-watch this fall. And with Mescal and O’Connor at the helm, it might just sing its way into your heart, and maybe even onto the Oscars stage.
The History of Sound hits theaters September 12 via MUBI. Watch the trailer below.
