Some thought Oliver Hermanus’ The History of Sound, starring Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor, might crash the film festival circuit this fall, but according to a report (via Awards Watch ), Hermanus has completely shot down the idea.
On Friday, Hermanus was honored by the Critics Association for his performances in the STARZ limited series “Mary & George” and in 2022’s “Living,” a remake of “To Be Alive,” for which Bill Nighy was nominated for an Oscar for best actor.
“Venice has asked for it, but it’s not ready yet,” Hermanus said. “We have a lot of scores to make, Paul. [Mescal] Josh [O’Connor] “It’s all about singing and sound,” he continued with a laugh, adding that he’s aiming for a Cannes debut in 2025 instead.
I wish Hermanus and company the best of luck, but I doubt the Cannes selection committee will pick a movie like this. Not that it’s not a good movie, but it seems more deserving of a premiere at Venice or TIFF. I’d be willing to bet we’ll see it premiere in the fall of 2025.
“A History of Sound” is a so-called prestige film, or Oscar contender, based on an award-winning short story by Ben Shattuck. It’s described as a “historical romantic drama” about two men, Lionel (Mescal) and David (O’Connor), who fall in love while traveling together during World War I to record the stories and songs of their countrymen.
In an interview with Variety, Hermanus said, “This is an unexpected love story that needed to be told. It’s a journey through trans-20th century American life and the tradition of American folk music, seen through the bond between two men steeped in sonic history.”
After significant delays due to the coronavirus and strikes, “The History of Sound” wrapped production in April of this year and is now in post-production, though it looks like that won’t change until the next few months, possibly next year.
