'I'm not going to make $1': The director of 'Sound of Freedom' breaks his silence
"Sound of Freedom" is the surprise box-office hit of the summer — and the latest cause du jour in the far right's culture war against the mainstream media. The thriller, from director and screenwriter Alejandro Monteverde, follows the journey of a rogue Homeland Security agent, Tim Ballard (Jim Caviezel), who risks it all to save kidnapped children from a Colombian sex-trafficking ring.
Independently produced for a reported $14.5 million, it's topped $160 million at the box office since its July 4 release, fueled by word-of-mouth endorsements, pay-it-forward ticket purchases and the efforts of conservative influencers and pundits who've positioned the film as an answer to "godless" Hollywood's domination of American entertainment. It has even been embraced by former President Donald Trump, who recently hosted a screening at his New Jersey golf course.
A narrative has emerged in right-wing political circles that the film has had a harder time than most features finding its way into theaters, and into the entertainment press, because its distributor, Angel Studios, appeals to conservative audiences with a roster of faith-based movies. Although there's no firm evidence that the picture has had a more challenging road than any other independent project, it has made novel use of crowdfunding: In addition to allowing supporters to buy tickets for others to see the movie, the project also raised $5 million from more than 6,600 investors to fund marketing costs associated with its theatrical release.
Its use of crowdfunding has been an unparalleled success — and it's sure to have caught the eye of executives at a moment of flux for the film business.
The lion's share of the controversy around "Sound of Freedom," however, centers on its chosen subject matter. Among the most absurd of QAnon conspiracy theorists' unsubstantiated claims is the belief that wealthy, famous elites participate in child trafficking to harvest their young blood for a chemical called adrenochrome. And though the film's plot has nothing to do with the conspiracy, it has become
