Following a celebrated run on the international festival circuit and a successful theatrical release, the highly anticipated romantic period drama The History of Sound is officially coming to UK living rooms this September on Sky Cinema and NOW.
Directed by award-winning South African filmmaker Oliver Hermanus (Living) and adapted from Ben Shattuck’s Pushcart Prize–winning short story, the film brings together two of cinema’s most compelling leading men: Academy Award nominee Paul Mescal (Normal People, Gladiator II) and Emmy winner Josh O’Connor (The Crown, Challengers).
A Haunting Tale of Music, Love, and Memory
Set against the turbulent backdrop of World War I and its aftermath, The History of Sound spans several decades as it charts the deeply intimate, secret romance between two young music students.
The Meeting: In 1917, prodigy Lionel Worthing (Mescal) meets aspiring composer David White (O’Connor) at the New England Conservatory of Music. The pair instantly bond over a shared passion for traditional American folk music.
The Journey: After war temporarily separates them, they reunite in the summer of 1919. Armed with early recording equipment, they travel through the remote, snowbound backwoods of Maine to capture the authentic, vanishing voices and songs of rural Americans on wax cylinders.
The Legacy: What begins as an ethnomusicological expedition soon rekindles a quiet, forbidden romance that leaves a lifelong echo on both men. The story is anchored by a framing narrative featuring Academy Award winner Chris Cooper as an older Lionel reflecting on the lost recordings and the love of his life.
The supporting cast also features Hadley Robinson (Little Women), Molly Price (Third Watch), and Briana Middleton (The Sharper).
Critical Acclaim and Musical Depth
The film originally made its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the prestigious Palme d’Or and earned widespread praise for its lush cinematography, haunting score, and raw central performances. Critics have particularly lauded the natural chemistry between Mescal and O’Connor, as well as the film’s immersive use of early 20th-century acoustic music.
Universal Pictures released the film in UK cinemas earlier this year, and its arrival on Sky Cinema marks its premiere television and subscription streaming debut for UK audiences.
How to Watch in the UK
The History of Sound will be available on Sky Cinema for all linear Sky Cinema package holders. Subscribers can stream the film on-demand via Sky Q, Sky Glass, and Sky Stream, or stream it online through the NOW app with a Cinema Membership.
How to Watch in the US
In the US, The History of Sound is distributed by MUBI and is available across a few streaming and digital platforms:
MUBI: Streamable directly via a MUBI subscription or through the MUBI Channel add-on on Amazon Prime Video.
Hulu & Disney+: Available on-demand for subscribers via Hulu or the Hulu-on-Disney+ integration.
Video on Demand (VOD): Available for digital rental or purchase on platforms like Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.
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