It is the most unlikely success of the American box office in 2023. Released on July 4 in a relatively modest combination of 1,500 theaters, Sound of Freedom, by Alejandro Gómez Monteverde (which is released in France on November 15), has accumulated 185 million dollars in revenue for a production budget of just over 14 million. Sound of Freedom is inspired by the true story of Tim Ballard, founder of Operation Underground Railroad, an organization that fights against child trafficking.
Its distributor, based in Utah, Angel Studios, which relies on crowdfunding to finance its films and television series mainly with religious content, is not its first attempt: this year, David’s film Helling, featuring the sacrifice of Isaac, grossed $12 million, for a starting investment of less than $500,000. For Sound of Freedom, Angel Studios attracted 7,000 investors who contributed $5 million and developed a system called “ Pay It Forward,” through which spectators can purchase cinema tickets for those who cannot afford them.
The release of the film in the United States was accompanied by a succession of controversies and several criticisms, especially from the magazine Rolling Stone, pointing out a supposed link between the film and the theories advocated by QAnon, the far-right conspiracy movement obsessed with the supposed pedophilia of financial, media or democratic circles. A thesis which is not addressed in Alejandro Gómez Monteverde’s film. Statements from the film’s star, Jim Caviezel, who plays Tim Ballard and was the Jesus of The passion of Christ (2004) by Mel Gibson, have stirred up the spirits.
Questioned on the occasion of the promotion of Sound of Freedom on the podcast of Steve Bannon, former strategic advisor to Donald Trump close to the far right, the actor spoke of a mysterious storm about to rise, and spoke of adrenochrome, a hormone cultivated by elites from organs from kidnapped children, according to QAnon supporters. “Jim Caviezel did not write, produce or direct this film. He is a employee, Alejandro Gómez Monteverde recalls today. He can then say whatever he wants, it’s no longer my problem. However, it is clear that the positions of this actor did not do the film any good. »
A tight network in the Catholic world
In France, it is the company Saje Distribution, founded in 2012, specializing in what Americans call “faith based movies”, these films based on faith, which is responsible for the destiny of the film. It is directed by Hubert de Torcy. A graduate of HEC, the latter had always wanted to work in cinema, after starting his career in the automobile industry. “No door opened,” he laments. He, therefore, charted his own path.
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