The highly anticipated screening of Alec Baldwin’s film Rust is finally set, nearly three years after the tragic incident that resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on set. The film’s premiere will take place at Poland’s Camerimage Festival from November 16 to 23, a festival dedicated to the work of cinematographers.
Halyna Hutchins, 42, was fatally shot while Baldwin was filming a scene near Santa Fe on October 21, 2021. Baldwin has consistently claimed he was unaware the firearm he was holding contained live ammunition and denies pulling the trigger. Although an involuntary manslaughter charge against him was dismissed in July due to procedural errors, the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and is currently serving an 18-month sentence.
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A press release from the festival stated, “Almost three years after the tragic death of Halyna Hutchins, Camerimage is honored to remember her and celebrate her legacy.” Bianca Cline, who took over Hutchins’ role, expressed her determination to honor Hutchins’ “beautiful” work through the film’s special screening. “This film is anything but a low-budget genre flick; it’s truly a beautiful piece and marks Halyna’s best work,” Cline remarked.
Hutchins’ family has been supportive of the film’s completion, with her mother, Olga Solovey, being a leading advocate. “Halyna’s mother was very enthusiastic about finishing this project; she understood how important it was to Halyna,” Cline shared.
After the screening, there will be a discussion featuring Cline, director Joel Souza, and Stephen Lighthill, Hutchins’ mentor, focusing on the cinematographic style Halyna developed, how Cline replicated it, and enhancing film set safety practices. Cline summed up the grave reality of filmmaking, saying, “Her death has made it exceedingly clear how genuinely dangerous these environments can be.”
Following Hutchins’ death, production of Rust was paused, but plans to resume filming were unveiled in October 2022. Hutchins’ husband, Matthew, who had previously filed a wrongful death lawsuit, is now an executive producer of the film. Legal representatives confirmed that filming has resumed in April 2023 under strict safety protocols, and production has moved to Yellowstone Film Ranch in Montana, with a focus on eliminating any real weapons from the set.