Film Journal 2023: Sound of Freedom
Directed by Alejandro Monteverde
As a film it was fine. As a faith based film (and yes, in case it’s not clear it certainly qualifies as such) it’s a cut above the normal quality one might expect. Everythings on point when it comes to going straight for the emotions. The perfectly placed tear, the obligatory come to Jesus moment, the manipulative score. You wouldn’t even need the story to know exactly what this film was going for.
Now, first a story to set the stage, and then allow me a moment on my soapbox. Then I promise I will get out of the way and let this film do its thing.
My story: I had no idea what this film was or that it even existed. Which is strange given the avid film.goer that I am. We were looking for something to do Monday evening and Jen (my wife) suggested we go see a movie. I informed her that we had seen everything that was currently playing. She decided to take a second look and noticed that this film was playing in one or our local theaters. I agreed to roll the die on it. The only problem was all the showings were sold out. In fact, over the next four days the only showing with two seats available was at 9:40 morning Wednesday. Out of pure curiosity I snagged them
Wednesday morning came. On our drive to the theater I turned to Jen and confessed that I had a strange feeling about what we were walking into. I wagered a prediction. I suggested that a film that came out of nowhere from an unknown studio featuring Jim C. and numerous sold out shows could only mean one thing. An ultra conservative, right leaning, politically charged, faith based project that would be attended by an older, white, conservative Christian audience.
I was mostly right. In fact, it seemed like our entire theater knew each other except for us. The first thing we encountered walking in was an older Woman saying to three older Men “praise Jesus you came”.
Now for my soapbox:
I’m genuinely torn. Not because the film itself is fine or that its subject matter (modern day slavery/pedophilia/sex trade) isn’t real and important, but because of everything that surrounds a film like this. Is this film supposed to be an evangelism tool for the Gospel, or a call to be concerned about pedophilia. The fact that the agenda feels confused doesn’t work in this films favor. Who is it reaching? Is it preaching to anyone outside of the choir? Does it want to? There is a direct call for people to give money towards this film at the end, and on one hand I’m all for small studios, independent directors, and small films without distribution finding creative ways to get their work made and out there. But this felt like it was about supporting more than the art. It felt like I was supporting a culture. A culture that would somehow see this film doing what other films don’t, which is fighting the good fight. The fact that the audience we saw it with would seemingly support a film primarily because of its association with, as I found out, the evangelical conservative right leaning voices lending it its support and behind its creation, bothered me.
I also said to Jen on the car ride home, I bet you anything that I can google this film and find a whole pile of comments linking it to the necessary take down of those dangerous liberals and their interests in upholding pedophilia and sex trafficking circles behind closed doors (yes, that’s a theory that ultra right conservatives continue to hold). Sure enough I was proved right once again. Right there with Jim C being praised as the poster child for the liberal takedown. Again, it seriously unsettles me that a story like this can masquerade as a political agenda. But here we are.
Now to step back down off my soapbox. Let me reiterate. The film itself is perfectly fine, especially considering its faith based roots. I will say too that the Directors previous effort Bella I thought was quite good, and from what I know of him he is probably the most intriguing part of this whole effort. I’ll just add to that, if you are someone who knows what this film is you are likely its target audience. And I have little doubt that it will really work for you. As for me, I didn’t know it existed. That’s probably enough to explain my reaction.
The Stories of my Life 