Where was The History of Sound filmed? Complete guide to all filming locations and other production details

The History of Sound is one of the most discussed movies of 2025, a historical romantic drama featuring Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor in an epic tale of music, love, and memory. Directed by Oliver Hermanus and written by Ben Shattuck, it is based on two of Shattuck's short stories from his poem collection.

The movie initially made waves when it opened in competition at the Cannes Film Festival in May of 2025, where it was shortlisted for the Palme d'Or, before its release in the U.S. on September 12, 2025, via Mubi.

A lot of the buzz about The History of Sound is not only because of its cast and content, but also because of where it was filmed. From classic campuses in New Jersey to rural farms that doubled as 1920s Maine, and Italian countryside that served to provide the film's old-world feel, the production relied extensively on locations from the real world to ground its period setting.

---

Details on the filming locations of The History of Sound explored

The History of Sound (Image via Focus Features)

The History of Sound was filmed on location in three major areas: Italy, New Jersey, and New England. Rome and the Lazio region stood out as one of the most notable European locations, with Tarquinia being a particularly significant setting when production moved abroad in April 2024.

The Italian landscapes contributed grandeur as well as authenticity to the film's post-war setting.

In the U.S., the cast visited New Jersey, with Saint Elizabeth University in Morristown standing in for areas of the Boston Music Conservatory. Highlights in New Jersey also included Hoboken, where the restaurant 10th & Willow was closed temporarily for filming, and the Oakley Farm Museum in Freehold Township, according to a report published in The Hoboken Girl on March 5, 2024.

On Oakley Farm, the blacksmith shop was converted into a Maine cabin with period finishes.

The production was also shot in New England itself, more specifically in Massachusetts, in order to ground the story in the locations described in Shattuck's own stories.

The production company End Cue discovered Shattuck's short story in a literary magazine and commissioned him to write it for the screen.

In October 2021, Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor were confirmed as the lead actors in the film, with producers such as Lisa Ciuffetti, Andrew Kortschak, Andrea Roa, and Tim Haslam, in a press release by Embankment Films on October 29, 2021.

Production, initially scheduled for summer 2022 in the U.K., U.S., and Italy, was postponed due to the conflicting schedules of the two stars. Production was postponed to early 2024, beginning in Massachusetts, then shifting to New Jersey and eventually Italy.

On set, Josh O'Connor received piano lessons for the role as per a report published on September 3, 2025, by PEOPLE Magazine, with his initial scenes shot before he departed in April 2024 to promote Challengers.

---

What is The History of Sound about?

The History of Sound is a tale about Lionel (Mescal) and David (O'Connor), who crossed paths at the Boston Music Conservatory in 1917 and formed a musical as well as romantic connection.

When David returns from World War I, the duo embarks on a journey across rural Maine in 1920, documenting folk songs for scholarly preservation. As they journey along, their bond grows stronger, and the movie explores themes of remembrance, love, loss, and how one's personal history is shaped by sound and song.

The cast supporting is strengthened by the addition of Chris Cooper as an older Lionel, Molly Price as his mother, and Briana Middleton as Thankful Mary Swain.

---

For the unversed, the movie released on September 12, 2025.