Singer Luis Fonsi posted his music video ‘City of Dreams,’ on YouTube last week for his 31.9 million fans.
One of the founders of a new faith-based streaming platform lauded “Despacito” singer Luis Fonsi for his new song, which promotes the anti-child trafficking film “City of Dreams.”
Fonsi posted the music video, also named “City of Dreams,” on his social media accounts on Aug. 16. The Puerto Rican singer is known for his hit song “Despacito,” which reached 8 billion views on YouTube after being released in 2017. “It is crucial to emphasize any instances of mass crimes against children as entertainment significantly influences culture, which in turn shapes policy,” We The Studios co-founder Cara Leopardo told The Epoch Times. “By shedding light on the atrocities that our children endure, we may be able to initiate meaningful action to address these issues.”
We The Studios streams family-friendly content, such as feature films and episodics.
“City of Dreams” will be released this week in theaters nationally on Aug. 30.
“I am so honored to be a part of a movie that has the power to change and save kids’ lives,” Fonsi told his 31.9 million followers on YouTube. “I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to collaborate with Mo and Linda Perry to create this beautiful and powerful song and its mission to raise awareness on this critical issue.”
Mohit “Mo” Ramchandani directed the “City of Dreams” film, and Linda Perry wrote the screenplay.
The opening scene of the music video takes place in a police station and then zooms in on photos of missing children posted on a wall. It then transitions to Fonsi singing:
City of Dreams
The devil made a man without a soul.
City of Dreams
You lied to me.
Wake up Mama
Can you hear me now?
Lost my voice but I didn’t back down.
All the blood and tears made me who I am today.
A patchwork of clips from the film is interspersed within the music video.
Fonsi did not respond to requests for comment.
The film “City of Dreams” is about a Mexican boy who is trafficked across the U.S. border and sold to an abusive, low-paying clothing factory in Los Angeles.
“Regrettably, it seems that we are only now beginning to address this issue because many adults have hesitated to confront it directly,” Leopardo added. “It’s better to engage in these conversations late than not at all.”
The film stars Jason Patric, who also starred in “Lost Boys” in 1987 and “Speed 2: Cruise Control” in 1997.
“Hollywood movie producers, writers, and directors are addressing child trafficking now because there’s a growing awareness and public interest in the issue,” Charles Bender, founding CEO of Place of Hope, told The Epoch Times. “While there may be an element of capitalizing on the increased attention, the involvement of Hollywood can potentially reach a much wider audience and help educate society on this critical issue, which can be influential in the fight against trafficking.”
Place of Hope is a faith-based and state-licensed residential agency that cares for abused and neglected children in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Bender, who works closely with human trafficking victims, isn’t surprised by the issues highlighted in the music video.
“They represent just one aspect of a much broader issue,” he said. “Both this type of trafficking and other forms are real and prevalent.”
Some 30 percent or 109,000 of the 365,000 missing children in the U.S. are trafficked, according to Saved in America. WorldsChildren.org found that globally, 27 percent of trafficking victims are children. The issue of child trafficking transcends politics, according to Bender.
“It’s an American tragedy tied to factors like family breakdown, illegal immigration, and drug and alcohol abuse that results in exploitation for labor and sex,” he said. “Regardless of the election results, I hope Hollywood continues to spotlight this crisis, which affects thousands of lives daily in our country and millions more around the world.”
Angel Studios, which was founded by members of the Mormon faith in Utah, released a similar feature film last year called “Sound of Freedom,“ which earned $184 million at the box office. “Sound of Freedom” is about a federal agent who quits his job to rescue a girl from sex slavery in South America.
“This issue has been around for a long time, but most of the initial attention and messaging came from smaller studios and Christian-based producers,” Bender added. “Their work was many times funded through through peer-to-peer fundraising efforts. Initially, it seemed like mainstream Hollywood wasn’t paying attention and even may have turned down opportunities to engage with the topic. However, now that there’s a noticeable public interest, Hollywood seems to be getting involved. This increased attention could help make the issue more mainstream.”
