Sound of Freedom, rated PG-13
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Sound of Freedom is based on a true story, and helps to grow awareness about the reality of the global sex trafficking industry. The film was directed by Alejandro Monteverde and written by Monteverde and Rod Barr.
The film is based on the true story of a Homeland Security agent Tim Ballard, played by Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ), and Founder and CEO of Operation Underground Railroad. Ballard, a father and husband, leaves his job at Homeland Security just ten months before earning a pension. Instead of catching pedophiles, as he has done 288 times before, he pursues a little brother Miquel, played by Lucás Ávila, and his sister Rocio, played by Cristal Aparicio, who have been trafficked, traveling to Mexico and Colombia.
Ballard is helped by Vampiro, a former cartel leader, played by Emmy nominee Bill Camp (The Night Of). Mira Sorvino plays Ballard’s wife Catherine.
Themes in the film include sacrifice, sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and hope.
Content concerns include a small amount of adult language, violence, and sexual situations (though nothing blatant is shown).
The well-made and acted film isn’t explicitly faith-based, aside from Ballard quoting Luke 17:2 “It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble” as he is arresting a pedophile, a comment about God’s leading in Vampiro’s life, and the phrase “God’s children are not for sale.” The real Tim Ballard is a Mormon, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The film was actually finished in 2018, but not released until now, as the filmmakers were turned down by various distributing companies. Angel Studios crowdfunded the distribution and marketing expenses.
Sound of Freedom is certainly a difficult film to watch, but it’s an important film as well, as it is estimated that there are more than two million children trapped in modern day slavery, and child sex trafficking produces approximately $150 billion annually, with the U.S. being a leading consumer. The film raises awareness of the problem, but doesn’t give any solutions, other than to buy more movie tickets.
International Justice Mission is a global organization that protects people in poverty from violence. They partner with local authorities in 29 program offices in 17 countries to combat trafficking and slavery, violence against women and children and police abuse of power. https://www.ijm.org/our-work/trafficking-slavery
