Overview

• The History of Sound premiered in the Cannes Film Festival’s main competition to a nine-minute standing ovation, marking director Oliver Hermanus’s first entry in the prestigious category.
• Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor star as music students who develop a discreet romance during World War I, with Mescal praised for his portrayal of Lionel’s yearning and synesthetic connection to music.
• Critics have highlighted the film’s lush cinematography and folk-infused score, but some have criticized its restrained emotional tone and limited depiction of intimacy.
• The story follows Lionel and David’s journey through rural America to record folk songs, exploring themes of memory, longing, and the passage of time.
• MUBI has acquired the film for theatrical release in the United States later this year, continuing its journey beyond its Cannes debut.