The History of Sound

Director Oliver Hermanus understands how hard it can be to talk about love — which is why, his latest melodrama gets told through music rather than words as even the characters (played by Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor) struggle to find the right expressions. Set in 1917, The History of Sound begins in a dimly lit pub, where Lionel and David meet at a piano. What draws them together is a shared love for simple folk songs — melodies that conjure the comfort of home. Though the world around them is about to collapse, swallowed by the chaos of war, they resolve to rescue these songs from oblivion. Stealing fleeting moments of closeness and a forbidden intimacy, the two embark on a summer journey. Traveling through forgotten villages, they collect ballads sung at twilight, stories of loss and longing, of tenderness and trauma. Their recordings offer hope that, whatever happens, the music will survive. But quietly, they begin to wonder whether the same could be true for their own sudden, all-consuming connection — a love they cannot yet name.