Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor sex scenes teased by The History of Sound director

Oliver Hermanus, the director of The History of Sound, has teased the romantic period drama’s sex scenes between leading men Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor.

The film, premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, follows Lionel (Mescal) and David (O’Connor) as they engage in a tender romance while studying at a music Conservatory in New England post-World War One, and embarking on a project to record the lives, songs, and stories of their countrymen throughout the war.

Speaking to Variety in Cannes, Hermanus touched on the “romantic story.” He described it as “a profound concept of nostalgia and using the metaphor of sound for how we retain feelings.”

Based on Ben Shattuck’s Pulitzer Prize-winning short story, the film sees Lionel and David dive straight into their romance despite the historical setting.

In telling the story, Hermanus said he wanted to offer audiences “a different queer experience,” rationalising, “It’s 2025, and queer audiences want more.”

He argued that all the tropes about queer love stories being tragic are tired. “It sticks in our heads that that our lives could potentially go down this path, when our sexuality and lifestyles have a danger or sadness to them,” he said.

Drawn on the project’s gay sex scenes, and what audiences can expect to see in a film starring two of the Internet’s favourite boyfriends, Hermanus teased: “There are moments.” He also said he didn’t want the sex scenes to be “pivotal, or [signal] gear changes in their relationship.”

He then added: “That’s not the film. They stick together from the first day they meet. What I love is the moments that bring sex about, and then the moments after.

“Josh’s character has this amazing thing where he keeps collecting all the feathers that are falling out of Paul’s pillow and stuffing them back in. That’s romance.”

While discussing gay sex scenes Hermanus brought up Mary & George, starring Nicholas Galitzine, which he directed. It memorably featured many gay love scenes.

“We would stand on set trying to think of new sex positions. I would turn to Nicholas Galitzine and say, ‘What have you not done?’. He would go, ‘I got f**ked that way yesterday. I already did an orgy with that guy the other day. I topped that guy and bottomed for the other.’

“The intimacy coordinator would come over with an iPad and flip through new positions. It was the point where I was just trying to differentiate a French orgy from a British one, like Legos.”

Fans got their first look at The History of Sound earlier this month when the first images were released.

The film is set to be distributed by Mubi in North America. Focus Features as well as Universal Pictures will distribute internationally. 

A release date has not been set.