‘Sound of Freedom’ showings ‘highly successful’ in Sikeston

SIKESTON — “God’s children are not for sale,” is a quote from the new film “Sound Of Freedom, which has been playing at the Malco Sikeston Cinema Grill, and the community has taken a keen interest in it.

Karen Melton, Malco vice president and director of marketing, said the film has been highly successful at the Sikeston Cinema Grill. 

The film “Sound of Freedom” stars well-known actor Jim Caviezel, whom some in the community remember from the 2004 classic film The Passion of the Christ.

The film is based on the true story of Tim Ballard, played by Caviezel, who quits his job with the Department of Homeland Security to track down and rescue stolen children. 

Since the film’s premiere in Sikeston cinemas on July 4, many members of the community have seen it and come away impacted and consumed with emotions.

On July 11, the head pastor of Sikeston First Assembly of God, John McHaffie, went to see the film with some of his family for his birthday. McHaffie said he is not a moviegoer by nature, although he may go depending on the subject of the film. 

“Sometimes, a topic like human trafficking hits me right in the heart, and I feel promoted to support a topic like ‘Sound Of Freedom,’” McHaffie said. “I heard about the movie from my 18-year-old son as he told me about it and on my birthday, we went and viewed it.”

Spread Hope Now Director Mari Ann Moyers also went to see the film and talked about it, and Moyers explained how she felt when she watched it.

“It was devastating to me,” Moyers said. “I have grandchildren the same ages as the two children who were taken in the movie, and watching their dad come to the realization that his kids had been taken was just horrible.”

As a father of five children, McHaffie said he could sympathize with the father in the film who yearned to see his children again. 

“Human trafficking is a deplorable violation of basic human rights, perpetuating immense suffering and the exploitation of young children around the world,” McHaffie said. “At times during the movie, I felt choked up and had a heightened awareness of: could this atrocity be happening around me?”

Moyers said she understood the film would be difficult to see, but she believed it was crucial to not turn away from it due to the importance of the subject matter. 

“If I look away from things, I won’t be able to help in some way, so I loaded up my backpack with lots of tissues before I watched it,” Moyers said.

Another Sikeston resident, David Matthews, attended the film and was so moved that he has been purchasing tickets for others, explaining how seeing the movie helps us to go on the right side of this conflict.

“I have bought several tickets and given them away,” Matthews said. “To use a quote from the movie, ‘God’s children are not for sale,’ and then see how they are being bought and sold like livestock is more than sickening, and everyone that has children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or friends that have children needs to become aware of what is going on and get on the right side of this war.”

“Sound Of Freedom” was completed in 2018, and the producers signed a distribution agreement with 20th Century Fox. It was planned to be released long before 2023, but the Walt Disney Company formally purchased 20th Century Fox in 2019, which meant that the entertainment company also acquired all of the studio’s ongoing projects, including “Sound Of Freedom.”

Moyers voiced her dissatisfaction with the film’s five-year delay in cinemas.

“It is distressing,” Moyers said. “I can not fathom how many kids have even been trafficked in five years.

Moyers continued: “Perhaps we could have prevented some of that if we were made more aware of how widespread this issue truly is.”

McHaffie explained that “Sound Of Freedom” is a film that everyone should see.

“‘Sound Of Freedom’ is a must-see film,” McHaffie said. “It takes us out of our comfort zones and into a dimension of human trafficking that we may otherwise not be aware this type of evil exists around us.” 

Moyers said it is vital for everyone in the community to spread the message that they care about the issue of human trafficking, and that they should constantly be alert and mindful of their surroundings.

“We need to keep our eyes open,” Moyers said. “Trafficking is all around us, and we have to care enough to get involved.”

“Sound of Freedom” is screening four times a day at the Sikeston Malco Theater, and Melton said as of right now, “Sound of Freedom” should be showing in Sikeston until July 27, and any dates after they will know more by the end of next week.

To pay it forward for someone else to see the film, visit the film’s distributor, Angel Studios, website, https://www.angel.com/pay-it-forward/sound-of-freedom