Trump screens ‘Sound of Freedom’ with actor Jim Caviezel and Tim Ballard.
Former President Donald Trump hosted a special screening of the film “Sound of Freedom” with actor Jim Caviezel, producer Eduardo Verástegui, and Tim Ballard from Operation Underground Railroad. The movie, which sheds light on child sex trafficking, served as the inspiration for the event.
The screening took place outside Trump’s club in Bedminster, New Jersey, and it was a grand affair. Trump made a dramatic entrance into the main dining room, greeted by an enthusiastic and packed crowd. Among the attendees were Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, former chief strategist Steven Bannon, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, and conservative influencer Jack Posobiec. Pastor Paula White, who served as Trump’s Christian advisor, led the audience in prayer before the film started.
After the movie, Trump expressed his thoughts, saying, “I hope you enjoyed it. It’s something I’m not sure if you’re supposed to enjoy or learn—it’s a combination. But that was a great movie. Now I understand why it’s doing so well.” He also took the opportunity to praise Jim Caviezel, telling him it was an honor to get to know him. “I hope everyone had a fantastic time. It’s an incredible inspiration,” Trump added.
Sound of Freedom: The Summer Hit of 2023
Released by Angel Studios, the company behind the hit faith-based series “The Chosen,” the independently financed and crowd-funded “Sound of Freedom” has become a sleeper hit of the summer, grossing over $96 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo.
Image from the “Sound of Freedom” movie, starring Jim Caviezel, to be released nationwide on July 4, 2023. (Courtesy Angel Studios)
Despite being made against a $14.5 million budget and sitting on the shelves at Disney for five years, “Sound of Freedom” has exceeded expectations. It has received mixed reviews from critics but has garnered highly positive reception from audiences. The movie has faced competition from more traditional summer blockbusters like “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and “Mission Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part One.”
The film follows Tim Ballard on a dangerous mission to rescue children held captive by traffickers in Colombia. Ballard, a former homeland security department agent appointed by Trump to a federal advisory panel on human trafficking, is the real-life inspiration behind the movie. Eduardo Verástegui, the film’s producer and a Mexican appointee to Trump’s advisory commission on Hispanic prosperity, played a crucial role in reclaiming the rights to the film.
Jim Caviezel (L), actor in the new human trafficking film “Sound of Freedom,” and Tim Ballard (R), a former Department of Homeland Security special agent and founder of Operation Underground Railroad, speak during an interview in Washington on June 21, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)
Film Thriving Despite Mainstream Media Attacks
However, the movie’s popularity has attracted criticism from the mainstream news media. Despite being shot five years ago, before the term gained prominence, the film has been labeled as a ”QAnon” fantasy. Rolling Stone writer Miles Klee wrote an op-ed titled “‘Sound Of Freedom’ Is a Superhero Movie for Dads With Brainworms,” describing the movie as a conspiracy-addled boomer’s appeal to conscience. The Daily Beast also published an article questioning the controversial box-office hit.
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