The History of Sound

Set in 1917, the story follows two young students at the Boston Conservatory who discover a shared love for rural folk songs. After a period apart they reconnect and increasingly throw themselves into a song collecting trip through the backroads of Maine. What begins as a mutual hobby grows into a quiet examination of friendship and the pull of first love, with melodies guiding their conversations and silences alike. They seek out singers, compare voices, and wrestle with what a song means when it travels from a porch to a pocket sketch tape and back again. The film keeps its mysteries close, letting music, landscape, and small gestures carry the emotional weight.

Directed by Oliver Hermanus and written by Ben Shattuck, The History of Sound appears to be an original screenplay rather than an adaptation. Released in 2025, the drama leans into period detail and intimate performances to tell a story about music and memory.

Reception and themes: The film sits with a modest reception, posting a 6.3 out of 10 from 37 votes. It centers on friendship and romance framed by folk music and memory, exploring how art sustains connection. Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor give restrained performances that let music carry emotion.