SOUND OF FREEDOM

US, 2023, 130 minutes, Colour.

Jim Caviezel, Bill Camp, Jorge Godino, Jose Zuniga, Eduardo Verastegui, Cristal Rocio Lucas Avila, Yessica Borroto, Gustavo Sanchez Parra, Gary Basaraba.

Directed by Alejandro Monteverde.

An American drama based on child trafficking and the rescue operations by former federal agent, Tim Ballard, which took place in Colombia. In an interview, Ballard indicated that the screenplay dramatised his activities, some touches fictionalised. However, Ballard was able to give testimony to the American authorities and was influential in changing legislation about child trafficking in the US. Which means that this film, with its harrowing moments, is an earnest film about a contemporary evil – with a final comment about the number of men and women in slavery today, so many of them children, a greater number of contemporary slaves than when slavery was legal. Which means that this is an issue that ordinary audiences need to be aware of.

The film opens in Honduras, a little girl at home, beating a drum (and the final sequence of this film will be the little girl once again at home, beating the drum). What seems innocent at first, a young talent scout persuading a father that his little girl should come to an audition, along with her little brother, for some kind of future using her talent. He agrees and delivers them. But, we realise quickly that this is grooming, the children in all kinds of poses, photos taken, provocative, and the woman hurrying the children away so that when the father returns, the location is empty.

The introduction to Tim Ballard follows, a family man with a supportive wife and children, an American agent, posing as a paedophile, undercover to infiltrate the rings. It is alarming to see this kind of work, the infiltration, the pretence, the paedophiles fearful, giving information, arrested. Information leads to rings operating out of Latin America, transporting of children to Tijuana or to Columbia. The drama becomes more personal when a paedophile trafficker is stopped at the US-Mexican border and arrested, the little boy from the initial story found in the vehicle, rescued, telling the story of the disappearance of his sister, Ballard very much moved by the story and wanting to track down the sister.

Tim Ballard allegedly chose Jim Caviezel to portray him in this film. For many audiences, memories of Jim Caviezel in Passion of the Christ and his intense gaze (and executive producer of this film is Mel Gibson). Ballard wants to resume pursuit of the paedophiles but his bosses are reluctant and he resigns. What follows is more undercover work, information from Thailand about paedophiles setting up a hotel and this being the inspiration to set up a fake paedophile hotel in Colombia, inviting participants (including the woman who auditioned the children in Honduras), individuals who would disgust the audience, entrapment, but bringing 50 children to the hotel – then a raid, arrests,. Rescue.

The action does not finish there – it continues with an upcountry journey to the mountains Ballard accompanied by a former criminal who wants now to do good, posing as doctors, travelling to a dangerous village, women and children foot stamping coca leaves for cocaine. As we expect, the little girl is there, another dangerous rescue…

There are two particular aspects to note about the film and its release. In fact, the film was finished in 2018 and, for various business reasons, shelved. It was taken up for distribution by Angel Studios (Angel the name for the many contributors to crowd financing – and a huge list in the final credits). The studios are now working on a number of projects after their release of the Abraham-Isaac story, His Only Son. Production is underway on Cabrini, the story of St Frances Cabrini. Their best known release is the television Gospel series, The Chosen. The other aspect is the extraordinary success at the box office in 2023, second on the list on release, and continuing very successful, over-recouping costs. The film was also taken on by religious groups, buying tickets for audiences. There was also some controversy because of the perspectives of some of the supporting groups, conspiracy theorists, referring to some political attacks focusing on President Trumps campaigns and what might be called crazy allegations.

The film should be seen for its standalone drama and themes.

1. The title, indications of freedom from contemporary slavery and trafficking?
2. The production company, faith and values based, the film as something of a crusade? Highlighting the reality, the need to combat and confront this kind of trafficking?
3. The film based on the character and work of Tim Ballard, as an agent for the government, his experience of child trafficking, his decision to resign, his work in Colombia, tracking down the slaves, freeing them? His return to the US, his testimonies to committees, influencing legislation? Tim Ballard’s choice of Jim Caviezel to play him?
4. The opening and closing frames, the little girl beating the drum, her hopes – and the finale, the camera looking through the window and receding as, restored at home, she beats the drums? Honduras?
5. The little girl, her little brother, the relationship with their father, the young woman scout, the promises for the audition, the father allowing it, taking the children to the audition and leaving them, the revelation that they were being groomed, the postures, sexual innuendo, the photographs? The woman taking all the children away, the father returning, the location empty?
6. The introduction to Tim Ballard, his work, connections? Hunting the paedophiles? The audience seeing the paedophile men, at their computers, the photos? The focus on the one paedophile, the raid, his arrest, the interrogation, Ballard playing good cop, pretending to be paedophile, getting the information, the raid, the arrest? The information about the connection in Mexico, the arrival of the children, transported to the US? The sequence of the border, the driver with the little boy in the back, his lies of explanation? The arrest?
7. The little boy, the audience recognising him from the opening, Miguel? Age, loss of time, eight? Apprehensive? Ballard trying to reassure him? Looking after the boy, his growing in confidence, the phone call to his father, the father arriving, the happy reunion? No sign of the daughter? The boy giving Tim the medal of St Timothy?
8. The boy, telling the story of his sister and the treatment, the exploitation? Some children taken to Mexico by plane as with Miguel? Others going to Columbia?
9. Ballard, the authorities, their being wary, Ballard resigning, going on his own, the connections and information, that the little girl was in Colombia? His decision to go to Colombia? The background of his own family, the support of his wife, his own children? A quest?
10. The American authorities, reluctant, but giving him information? The Colombian authorities? Ballard going to Columbia?
11. Vampiro, his background, criminal, prison, personality, change of heart, campaigning? His teaming up with Ballard?
12. Cartagena, the story from Thailand, the setting up of the paedophile hotel, entrapment? The plan for Colombia, the meetings, discussions, Pablo, the finance, Jorge and the police connections? The building, Ballard and his involvement and enthusiasm, making connections with the paedophile rings, the woman who had groomed the children in Honduras? The plan, for at least 50 children, Ballard and his pretending to be the paedophile, the arrival of two boats of children, the difficulties with the third, the eventual raid, the behaviour of the paedophiles, the boss and the little boy, Ballard taking a stand, everybody arrested, the children rescued?
13. The little girl not being amongst those rescued, the story of the cocaine plantations up country, the plan to go, Ballard and Vampiro, pretending to be doctors, with the epidemic, the syringes? The dangers of going beyond the river, going by boat, Jorge, his going back, the two continuing on, the confrontation, men with guns, Ballard going up, meeting the leader, the women and children foot crushing the coca, the leader, the drinking, the singing, the drugs, with the little girl?
14. Ballard, meeting the little girl, assuring her, taking her, carrying her, taking the boat, the pursuit, the shootings, meeting up with Vampiro, finally getting her to safety? And the reuniting with her father?
15. Ballard, his heroism, with the US government, his success, his foundation, continuing the work?
16. The film to be seen by audiences unaware of this kind of traffic, to see the urgency, and the appalling information at the end that there are more in slavery now than when slavery was legal?