“Rust” Premieres at Camerimage Film Festival
More than three years after the fatal shooting on the set of Rust, the film made its debut Wednesday at the Camerimage Film Festival in Poland.
Director’s Reflection
“It’s bittersweet,” said Joel Souza, the film’s director, in an interview following the premiere. “I think we would all have preferred that the movie was finished a long time ago, that Halyna was there standing proudly talking about it.”
Tragic Incident on Set
On October 21, 2021, Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins tragically died after Alec Baldwin’s prop gun discharged a live round on set, also injuring Souza in the shoulder. Baldwin faced one charge of manslaughter, but the case was dismissed after the judge ruled that New Mexico prosecutors had suppressed evidence.
A Long Journey
“It’s been so long living with the movie and everything that happened, and just all the sort of … insanity that kind of engulfed everything,” Souza commented. “There is a sense of relief, I think, in this moment finally having happened.”
Baldwin and Family Absences
Baldwin was notably absent from the premiere, but Souza clarified that his attendance was never expected. “I doubt that [his attending] was ever even discussed. I mean, this is a cinematographers’ film festival,” he said.
Hutchins’ family—her mother, father, and sister—also did not attend, remaining in Ukraine. In a statement released before the premiere, the family, through their attorney Gloria Allred, explained they were boycotting the event because Baldwin had not offered a formal apology. They also claimed the producers were profiting from the tragedy.
Response from Baldwin’s Team and Production
Baldwin’s representative did not respond to a request for comment. However, Rust Movie Productions rejected the family’s claims, stating, “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.”
Honoring Hutchins’ Work
Bianca Cline, the film’s new cinematographer, explained that the team chose to finish the movie in part to honor Hutchins’ contribution. “It’s also awful that that’s the only thing that the majority of the world knows Halyna for, and hopefully, via this film, people will know her as a cinematographer and how she sees the world, rather than just seeing what happened to her,” she said.
Matthew Hutchins’ Involvement
Matthew Hutchins, Halyna’s husband, reached an undisclosed financial settlement with Baldwin and the film’s producers and was credited as an executive producer on the completed project.
Future Release Plans
Souza mentioned that the producers are preparing to announce soon where audiences can watch the finished film.
