Is The Sound of Freedom based on a true story?

Sound of Freedom was one of the most polarizing films of 2023, in part because of its marketing campaign and its connection to conspiracy theories that somewhat diluted the film's message. A Christian thriller, Sound of Freedom stars Jim Caviezel as Tim Ballard, a former US government agent who goes on a mission to rescue children from sex traffickers in Colombia. The main plot revolves around Ballard's Operation Underground Railroad (OUR), an anti-sex trafficking organization he founded in 2013.

Sound of Freedom was a huge success, grossing $250 million against a budget of $14.5 million, making it one of the most successful independent films in history. The marketing, however, faced criticism as many sold-out theaters were empty thanks to Angel Studios asking people to do a “pay it forward” deal where they would buy a ticket for someone who otherwise couldn't attend and support the film (via Deadline). However, the biggest criticism was aimed at the film's accuracy and is inclined towards various conspiracy theories.

What was the inspiration for Sound Of Freedom?

Tim Ballard founded an organization that rescued children

Sound of Freedom was an original screenplay by Rod Barr and Alejandro Monteverde based on the real-life exploits of Tim Ballard. Before founding his organization Operation Underground Railroad to rescue children from sex traffickers, Ballard was part of the CIA and the then newly formed Department of Homeland Security. He said he spent years arresting people who bought child exploitation materials, but never got the chance to rescue the children (via The National Archives).

“I spent over 12 years working as a special agent/undercover operator for Homeland Security Investigations in the Child Crimes/Child Trafficking unit. During a decade of this service, I worked in the border office in Calexico, California. Based on my extensive experience fighting transnational crime along the southern border, I know that we should absolutely finish building the wall for the sake of the children.”

All of this led Tim Ballard to carry out a mission for the US government in Haiti and Colombia in 2012. He was then ordered to return home and give up on them. Ballard said he wouldn't leave children in danger there, so he gave up and stayed behind to start his new rescue organization. This is the part of Ballard's life that the film is based on.

What to Know About Tim Ballard and the Nonprofit Finding the Children

Tim Ballard started OUR but found himself in trouble

When Tim Ballard announced he wanted to help rescue children from sex trafficking rings, he found help from a famous celebrity. Glenn Beck, a conservative talk show host, donated the money to help Ballard get the OUR off the ground. Beck said he and Ballard spoke on the phone all the time, discussing what they wanted to do and how they could save the children (Image: Disclosure)through KUTV).

Beck founded Nazarene Fune, an anti-trafficking organization that appointed Ballard as CEO. However, the OUR was under scrutiny from the beginning. The Department of Justice issued a warning that “no task force group should partner with the OUR or provide the NOS with 'any resources, equipment, personnel, training'” (via The New York Times). The group has also been associated with QAnon conspiracy theories, while Ballard has promoted the group's mission statement of rescuing sexually trafficked women.

Despite this, OUR managed to help arrest pro-pedophilia activists Nelson Maatman, who fled to Mexico, and Marthijn Uittenbogaard and his partner, who fled to Ecuador (via AP News). Unfortunately, Ballard's association with the group he founded ended badly when several women accused him of sexual misconduct and grooming, and OUR removed him as leader (via Deputy). Glenn Beck also distanced himself from Ballard after learning more about the allegations.

What was inaccurate about Sound Of Freedom?

The movie exaggerated The Saved People and Tim Ballard's actions

Sound of Freedom was mainly a report of Tim Ballard's Time Running Operation Underground Railroad. However, when asked about the accuracy, Tim Ballard said: “Every criminal is real. In fact, the film was cut because it was too long. They had cards at the end, saying every bad guy is real, every kid is real, and it said where they are today“(through YouTube).

Ballard also stated that the film showed that they rescued 54 children, but he said that they actually rescued more than 120 of them. That said, the actual rescue event saw 25 Colombian special agents storm the group to arrest five suspects and rescue 54 victims. Only 29 of them were minors, meaning the film and Ballard's later claims exaggerate the event (via CBS News).

The part of the film where the woman poses as a talent recruiter to capture the children was also true, as it was based on a former beauty queen named Kelly Johana Suarez. This woman sued Ballard for her performance in the film before being arrested and convicted of “pimping a child under 14”in Colombia (via The Salt Lake Tribune). Bill Camp's Vampire character was also based on a real person who helped Ballard.

However, Ballard's action scenes, portrayed by Jim Caviezel, were mostly fictional. While he was preparing things, he wasn't there to jump into action and fight the bad guys. This was only put in the film to make it more exciting. Ballard said they set plans in real life to ensure these things wouldn't happen. “What you need to do is prepare everything in advance so you don’t find yourself in these situations. With full transparency, that scene was fictional,” Ballard admitted about a scene in which his character pointed a gun at someone to save a child.

Where is Tim Ballard now?

Tim Ballard has faced several lawsuits in recent years

Several women have accused Tim Ballard of sexual harassment and sexual abuse. In October 2024, a new federal lawsuit accuses him of human trafficking, something he fought against for so many years. In turn, Ballard filed lawsuits against the plaintiffs for defamation (via The Salt Lake Tribune). The six women suing Ballard claim: “Instead of rescuing women and children from trafficking, these defendants used their positions of trust to exploit, abuse and traffick women.”

Ballard, on the other hand, said these lawsuits are proof of QAnon conspiracy theories that “rich and powerful people linked to this dark and evil underworld who don't want to be exposed.” However, at the same time, Glenn Beck distanced himself from his former friend, saying that “know the truth,” And OAM also severed its connection with him after an independent investigation “affirmed” allegations of sexual misconduct (via Deseret News).

Why is the sound of freedom so controversial?

The film is connected to extreme conspiracy theories

The film was a success and many viewers praised the story of a man who sets out to rescue children from sex trafficking rings without the support of the United States government. However, the biggest problem came with the film's connection to QAnon conspiracy theories which Tim Ballard and star Jim Caviezel have promoted in interviews over the years. Although the film itself avoids these theories, some critics believe the conspiracies were embellished in the film's story (via The Washington Post).

It didn’t help with that either. Sound of Freedom did everything to promote that it was better than blockbusters like Indiana Jones and the Fate Dial and used theories that he was fighting the Hollywood studios and was part of a “culture war” that was invented mainly to sell more tickets. Although it was a huge success considering its budget, it remained a huge hit when it hit VOD and, thanks to its Christian audience, ended up as one of the most-watched films of 2024, along with Barbie and Oppenheimer.