(NewsNation) — An independent film about child sex trafficking, “Sound of Freedom,” became a surprise box office hit this summer and is now being released internationally throughout Europe, Africa and Brazil.
The movie is based on the story of Tim Ballard, a former U.S. government agent who quit his job to rescue children from sex traffickers. To do so, Ballard, as well as a team of former government operatives, ended up founding Operation Underground Railroad, a nonprofit anti-sex trafficking organization.
“I learned about this child trafficking, the subject of child trafficking, around 2015,” “Sound of Freedom” director and writer Alejandro Monteverde told NewsNation’s Adrienne Bankert in an interview Friday morning. “This was a call for me to make a film to shine a light on this taboo and create awareness and starts a conversation, a social conversation.”
However, despite making almost $200 million, the movie has been subject to criticism. Some have said it amplifies conspiracy theories about human trafficking. Experts have also said “Sound of Freedom” doesn’t paint a realistic picture of how sex trafficking works. Contrary to what the movie portrays, they say, most victims know their traffickers. Perpetuating these myths about trafficking, experts warn, could have very real consequences for victims.
In addition, many of those who believe in the QAnon conspiracy have embraced the movie, despite Monteverde saying he wrote “Sound of Freedom” before the movement began. NPR reports the film’s lead actor, Jim Caviezel, who plays Ballard, has been a long-time promoter of “false, violent QAnon theories.” He spoke at a QAnon convention as well, Newsweek wrote.
QAnon, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, is an umbrella term for a “sprawling spiderweb” of ring-wing internet conspiracy theories with antisemitic and anti-LGBTQ elements. Believers in QAnon falsely claim, the SPLC said, the world is run by a secret cabal of pedophiles plotting against former President Trump.
However, in his NewsNation interview, Monteverde pushed back against the idea that “Sound of Freedom” promotes QAnon.
“A lot of these accusations did not make any sense,” Monteverde said. “It was heartbreaking because that takes your attention away from the important thing of child trafficking. I just think that this is something that should unite us as a society. I don’t know anybody that is for child trafficking.”
When the backlash against “Sound of Freedom” first started, Monteverde said, he wanted to “go and hide a little bit.”
“Eventually, I felt it was important to share my voice,” he said.
When it comes to people saying the film is “faith-based,” as Angel Studios, which produced it, backs a lot of faith-based projects, Monteverde disagrees with this characterization.
“Labels are very, very dangerous,” Monteverde said. “Any kind of label, all it does is exclude another audience. You know, a faith-based label could be a badge of honor but also could be a way to discredit the work.”