Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor Make Cannes Sob With Powerful Gay Romance ‘The History of Sound’, Which Earns 6-Minute Standing Ovation

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On a particular evening at Cannes Film Festival, Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor ignited the atmosphere with their performances in Oliver Hermanus’ film “The History of Sound.” This captivating production was met with a prolonged, six-minute applause from the audience.

As I stood among fellow film enthusiasts, eagerly awaiting the start of the premiere, Mescal gracefully entered the room, greeted with a well-deserved standing ovation. Unfortunately, O’Connor was unable to join us as he was busy wrapping up his role in Steven Spielberg’s upcoming project and couldn’t make it.

Even though Connor wasn’t there, it was Mescal who bore the brunt of the emotion that night. Just before the film rolled, a boisterous spectator let out a hearty “We love you, Paul!” – a remark usually saved for hushed reverence. By the closing credits, theatergoers were in tears and jostling each other to capture Mescal on camera, with him shedding tears as well. (As a film enthusiast, I was deeply moved by this display of passion.)

Hermanus described this collaboration as one of the most marvelous creative ventures in my brief professional journey. It underscores Paul Mescal’s extraordinary talent,” said the director.

The movie ‘The History of Sound’, inspired by Ben Shattuck’s story, explores the bond between two characters who journey to New England in 1919 to capture rural folk songs. The cast includes Chris Cooper, Molly Price, Raphael Sbarge, Hadley Robinson, Emma Canning, Briana Middleton, and Gary Raymond, alongside Mescal and O’Connor. Directed and written by Hermanus from South Africa, the film is based on his screenplay.

In cinema, Hermanus’ latest work, titled ‘The History of Sound,’ is his sixth feature film. His most recent release prior to this was ‘Living,’ from 2022, starring Bill Nighy. Interestingly, Hermanus’ last film to compete in Cannes was his second feature, ‘Beauty,’ back in 2011. This movie revolved around a closeted man grappling with his sexuality. The film received the Queer Palm at Cannes and represented South Africa for the Oscars in the category of best foreign language film. However, it did not advance to the final shortlist.

Actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson, famous for his roles in “Normal People,” “Gladiator II,” and soon to be Paul McCartney in Sam Mendes’ Beatles biopic, was last seen at Cannes for the 2022 coming-of-age drama “Aftersun.” This film earned him an Oscar nomination for best actor. “The History of Sound” is his first time attending Cannes, and he is also starring in another film competing with Kelly Reichardt’s “The Mastermind,” which is being presented at the festival as well. Meanwhile, Emmy winner Frankie O’Connor made his debut at Cannes for this project.

Cannes Film Festival runs May 13 to 24.

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2025-05-21 22:16