Jim Caviezel: Sound of Freedom Could Be the Uncle Tom's Cabin of the 21st Century

Actor Jim Caviezel says a new movie that hits theaters on the Fourth of July could have the same impact on child sex trafficking that a famous book by Harriet Beecher Stowe had on slavery in America.

The new film, Sound of Freedom (PG-13), follows the true story of a special agent, Tim Ballard, who quit his job at the Department of Homeland Security to dedicate his life to rescuing children in other countries from sex trafficking. Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ, Infidel) portrays Ballard. Mira Sorvino stars as his wife.

"Steve Jobs once said the most powerful person in the world is the storyteller," Caviezel said. "Abraham Lincoln credited Harriet Stowe when she wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin – this powerful story inspired millions to rise up and fight against slavery.

"I think we can make Sound of Freedom the Uncle Tom's Cabin of 21st century slavery."

Sound of Freedom follows Ballard as he arrests a child sex trafficker at the U.S. border and rescues a young boy. Ballard then learns that the boy's sister was kidnapped and made a child sex slave, so he travels the world to find her and to save other children in a similar situation.

It is estimated that millions of children around the world are being trafficked for sex.

Caviezel acknowledged that moviegoers will have a range of emotions after watching the film but said he hopes they are motivated to take action.

"Living in fear isn't how we solve this problem," he said. "It's living in hope. It's believing that we can make a difference – because we can."

Sound of Freedom was directed by Alejandro Monteverde (Bella, Little Boy). Angel Studios is distributing it.

"Together, we have a chance to make these two kids [in the film] and the countless children that they represent the most powerful people in the world by telling their story in a way only the cinema can do," Caviezel said "While Sound of Freedom is in theaters, these kids can be more powerful than the cartel kingpins, or presidents or congressmen or even tech billionaires. We believe this movie has the power to be a huge step forward toward ending child trafficking, but it will only have that effect if millions of people see it."

Visit SoundOfFreedom.Movie.

Photo courtesy: ©Angel Studios/Sounds of Freedom, used with permission.

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Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.