Alec Baldwin’s Western”Rust” had its world premiere Wednesday at a film festival in Poland dedicated to cinematographers Halyna Hutchinswho was shot dead in an accident on set three years ago.
The organizers called for a few minutes of silence before showing the film, which opened to a full house at the Camerimage International Film Festival of Cinematographic Art in the city of Torun.
According to a report in Vulture, gasps of sound filled the theater during the early scenes in the film where the character was accidentally shot to death. The moment draws a direct parallel to the real-life incident involving Alec Baldwin, who fatally shot Hutchins during the production of the film in 2021.
However, reports claim that the film received applause at the end.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer, was pointing a gun at Hutchins during a rehearsal outside Santa Fe, New Mexico, in October 2021 when the revolver went off, killing Hutchins and wounding the director. Joel Souza. Baldwin is said to have pulled back the hammer – but not the trigger – and the revolver fired.
Souza introduced the film at the festival, a popular industry event dedicated to cinematography. He told the audience that initially after the accident he couldn’t imagine continuing production, or even working on films or writing again.
“It just hurt so much,” he said.
But Hutchins’ husband, Matthew, wanted the film done, and became an executive producer.
“It was important to her that people who knew and loved Halyna be able to see her final work,” Souza said. His mission became “to preserve every frame I could, and to honor his final work.”
“Rust” – which includes scene after scene of gunfire – is the story of a 13-year-old boy who is sentenced to hang after he accidentally shoots a rancher. He runs away with his grandfather, played by Baldwin.
Bianca Cline, the cinematographer who completed the project, said Hutchins created the look and feel of the film, and made more than half of the film. He studied Hutchins’ notes to appreciate his vision.
Hutchins, 42, is an up-and-coming Ukrainian cinematographer and mother of two sons. He grew up on a remote Soviet military base and worked on documentaries in Eastern Europe before studying film in Los Angeles and embarking on a promising filmmaking career.
Before the premiere, Hutchins’ mother, who is suing Baldwin and the production, said she refused to attend and she viewed the film as an attempt by Baldwin to “unjustly profit” from the death of his daughter. Baldwin was also absent.
“I always look forward to seeing my son in Poland to watch his work come to life on screen,” Hutchins’ mother, Olga Solovey, said in a statement issued by her lawyer, Gloria Allred. “Alec Baldwin continues to add to my pain by refusing to apologize to me and refusing to take responsibility for his death.”
Melina Spadone, representative for Rust Movie Productions, issued a statement saying: “Gloria Allred’s misrepresentation of both the Camerimage festival and any profit motivation is disappointing. The decision to complete ‘Rust’ was made with the full support of Halyna’s family.
“Camerimage Festival celebrates the art of cinematographers; it is not a festival for buyers. None of the producers of Rust can benefit financially from the film. The suggestion that those involved in the completion of Halyna Hutchins’ film are motivated by profit, not respect. the people who work hard to honor his legacy.”
Filmmaker Rachel Mason, a friend of Hutchins who tapped by Matthew Hutchins to make a documentary about his late wife, telling viewers that Solovey told him he wanted the film finished because of how important the project was to his daughter.
Mason also described everyone who continued to work on the film after the tragedy on set as “heroic.”
“You can just feel and see the trauma they’re going through,” he said.
“Halyna didn’t get the chance to do the biggest movie she hoped for, which we all knew she was going to do. ‘Rust’ was that movie. And the person who felt the most pain was the person who made the movie,” Mason said. “I hope the world will understand that it was a brave act to complete this film.”
A New Mexico judge dismissed an involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin in the fatal shooting. The case was thrown out halfway through court on allegations that police and prosecutors withheld evidence from the defense.
The film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, received a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter. A judge found that his recklessness amounted to a serious violent offense. Prosecutors blamed Gutierrez-Reed for accidentally bringing live ammunition onto the set of “Rust,” which was prohibited, and for not following basic gun safety protocols.
This year’s Camerimage Festival, where Cate Blanchett is president of the jury, has been plagued by controversy.
“Blitz” director Steve McQueen walked out of the festival to protest an editorial about female cinematographers written by festival founder Marek Żydowicz in which he argued that greater representation of female cinematographers could lead to mediocrity.
Director Coralie Fargeat pulled the film “The Substance” over the comment, which sparked protests by several cinematography groups. Żydowicz began apologizing.
