After making waves at Cannes, the new drama movie The History of Sound is getting ready to take over the world — and maybe kick off its awards season run. Led by Paul Mescal (Gladiator II) and Josh O’Connor (Challengers), the movie centers around two music lovers who bond over their passion for folk music and end up falling in love during the less-than-gay-friendly era of the early 20th century and against the backdrop of WWI. MUBI is handling the distribution, and the movie is set to premiere on September 17. You can check out the trailer in this article. The trailer for The History of Sound makes it clear that music is not just a random element in the story. It opens with Mescal’s character Lionel revealing that he has such a strong connection with music that he can “see” it ever since he was a kid. He then grows up to showcase a beautiful singing voice and studies the art of making good music in order to expand his passion. This is how he meets David (O’Connor), an old friend who invites Lionel to join him on a journey across New England to collect traditional folk songs. Their journey soon blooms into a passionate romance that mixes deep feelings, sex, and music. The cast also features Raphael Sbarge (Once Upon a Time), Peter Mark Kendall (Watson), Molly Price (Elsbeth), and Chris Cooper (Boston Strangler).

The History of Sound has already made waves in early screenings at film festivals. In Cannes, it received a nomination for the Palm d’Or — the biggest award of the event. In her 8/10 review, Collider’s Therese Lacson revealed that the movie had her “bursting into tears in the theater” and wrote:
“‘The History of Sound’ lifts up the music of the people. Folk songs that are passed down from generation to generation, sung and written by everyday people. These songs are living culture, and they form the soul of the film. In the scenes that are the most emotional, in the moments that are the most impactful, a ballad is being sung or listened to. This is music with a history of its own, intensely regional yet also immensely universal. Hermanus doesn’t just use this music as a backdrop for the love story between David and Lionel — it’s an active participant.”
The History of Sound is directed by Oliver Hermanus, who previously helmed Living and Skoonheid. The screenplay is written by Ben Shattuck (Sweet Freedom). MUBI premieres The History of Sound on September 12. You can watch the trailer above.