FAITH-BASED film Sound of Freedom became a box office hit on Independence Day.
The religious thriller about child sex trafficking has become this summer's unlikely success.
Is the Sound of Freedom based on a true story?
Sound of Freedom is based on the life of Tim Ballard - a former Department of Homeland Security who left his job to found the Operation Underground Railroad, an organization that works to catch child sex traffickers.
In the film, actor Jim Caviezel plays Ballard "who quits his job and puts his life at risk to embark on a dangerous journey through the Colombian jungle to save hundreds of children from sex traffickers," as per the Catholic News Agency.
In an interview with CNA, filmmaker Eduardo Verastegui told the outlet how Ballard inspired his filmmaking and his desire to see an end to child trafficking.
“...I wanted to dedicate my life, along with Tim and many other soldiers around the world, warriors who are not afraid to fight, to eradicate child trafficking,” Verastegui said.
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“We need a movement…Because then we can put pressure on government so this issue can become a priority.
"And when it becomes a priority, then together, society, government, entertainment, news media, we all together, we can end this terrible reality.”
Why is the Sound of Freedom movie trending?
On July 4, 2023, Catholic filmmakers Verastegui and Alejandro Monteverde debuted their anti-human-trafficking film, Sound of Freedom.
On opening day, the movie reached No. 1 at the box office, beating out Disney’s fifth Indiana Jones installment. The film took in $40million after six days in theaters- despite its production budget of only $14.5million.
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Sound of Freedom started trending after it was revealed that the film was reportedly based on a true story - aimed to raise awareness about the millions of children exploited every year in the international sex-trafficking trade.
However, according to The Washington Post, some claims made by Ballard and his organization over the years do not add up.
"Glenn Kessler, The Washington Post’s Fact Checker, found no evidence for Ballard’s claim that 10,000 children are smuggled into the United States for sex annually — a line that apparently made its way into Trump’s State of the Union address in 2019."
As per the publication, Ballard never responded to a request for his source on the above claim and the State Department reportedly has no records that would validate the claim.
The Washington Post added to their July 2023 article: "In Utah, the Davis County Attorney’s Office spent two and a half years investigating Operation Underground Railroad for alleged communications fraud, witness tampering and retaliation, according to the Deseret News. The investigations ended with no charges in May."
The U.S. Sun has reached out to Operation Underground Railroad for comment regarding The Washington Post's reports.
Where can I watch the Sound of Freedom film?
The Sound of Freedom hit theaters on July 4, 2023.
It was originally produced under 20th Century Fox and finished in 2018, however, after Disney acquired the studio, the film was dropped, prompting it to be taken over by Christian Angel Studios.
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“As with our July 4th numbers, today’s numbers exceed our expectations, and we’re going to continue this momentum,” said Brandon Purdie, head of theatrical distribution at Angel Studios, the independent studio backing the film, in a statement to Variety.
“We’re getting messages from all over the country telling us about packed theaters, sold-out theaters and spontaneous standing ovations for the film in numerous locations. Seeing this film has become a must, thanks to incredible word-of-mouth."
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