Oliver Hermanus’s ‘History of Sound’ receives standing ovation at Cannes

South African filmmaker Oliver Hermanus’s The History of Sound premiered on Wednesday at the 78th Cannes Film Festival in France to enormous acclaim.

The movie earned a nearly nine-minute standing ovation from the audience at the Palais des Festivals — many wiping away tears, captivated by the movie’s poignant storytelling and raw emotion.

Adapted from Ben Shattuck’s short story, the film stars Paul Mescal as Lionel and Josh O’Connor as David — two Boston Conservatory students in 1917 who embark on a journey through rural Maine to record American folk songs. Their shared passion for music blossoms into a romance set against the backdrop of World War 1.

Mescal and O’Connor’s chemistry — expressed largely through glances, musical duets and subtle physicality — has been praised for their subtle, yet powerful nuances. Mescal, initially hesitant to play Lionel due to the role’s complexity, ultimately found emotional depth through the film’s delayed timeline — which allowed for the development of a deeper on-screen connection between the two lead actors as well as singing live on set.

Mescal and Hermanus, along with fellow cast members, greeted an endless stream of celebrity guests on the red carpet, including Ciara, Taraji P. Henson, Didi Stone, Barbara Palvin, Karolina Kurkova, Cara Delevingne, Naomi Campbell, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Coco Rocha and Edward Enninful. O’Connor could not attend due to filming commitments.

In an interview after the premiere, the Cape Town-born director reflected on the journey: “This film has been a labour of love for many years. Seeing it resonate with audiences at Cannes is incredibly rewarding.

“We aimed to tell a story that honours the quiet, often overlooked moments of connection between individuals. The standing ovation suggests we struck a chord.”

The film’s production faced numerous challenges, including financing issues and scheduling conflicts, delaying its completion. Despite the obstacles, Hermanus remained committed.

“Patience was key. We waited for the right time and the right people to bring this story to life. I could never have thought this could be done, but this has been one of those wonderful creative collaborations of my very, very short career,” he said to laughter from the audience. “This has been a testament to the genius of Paul Mescal.”

The 41-year-old filmmaker has directed a handful of feature films, including Beauty (2011), Moffie (2019) and Living (2022), which garnered two Oscar nominations in 2023 for Best Actor (Bill Nighy) and Best Adapted Screenplay for Kazuo Ishiguro.

The History of Sound marks Hermanus’s first film in the Cannes main competition for the festival’s highest award, the Palme d’Or.