In 1917, the young, talented music student Lionel (Paul Mescal) meets his fellow student David (Josh O'Connor) at the Boston Conservatory, where a strong bond develops between them because of their great love for folk music. Als Lionel years later, when he receives a letter from David, it leads to an improvised journey through the wilderness of Maine to collect folk songs. Their unexpected reunion, the subsequent love affair, and the music they collect and record will have a defining influence on the course of Lionel's life.