Over three years after the accidental on-set death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, Alec Baldwin’s Western film “Rust” received a polite response during its controversial premiere Wednesday at the EnergaCamerimage festival in Toruń, Poland.
The audience clapped through the film’s closing credits, strengthening their applause when a dedication to Hutchins appeared. However, a fair amount of moviegoers left the theater before the credits ended and prior to a Q&A with director Joel Souza — who was also injured in the October 2021 gun accident that took place while filming in New Mexico — and cinematographer Bianca Cline, who completed the movie.
Producer and star Alec Baldwin — who was handling the prop gun at the time of the accident — was not invited to attend the festival, according to an event spokesperson. Baldwin was charged with manslaughter but the case was dismissed on the grounds that the prosecution had failed to turn over evidence.
Hutchins’ mother, Olga Solovey — who is suing the production and Baldwin — also didn’t attend, nor did the cinematographer’s husband, Matthew Hutchins, who was named an executive producer on “Rust” as part of the settlement agreement.
The premiere opened with Camerimage director Marek Żydowicz asking the audience to stand for a moment of silence for Hutchins. Cinematographer Rachel Mason, Hutchins’ friend who made a documentary about the completion of the film, then made an emotional speech.
“I feel strongly that I need to make a statement about a very misunderstood film and the people who made it, who I believe are heroic people,” she said, underlining that the crew returned to set after the accident because of their dedication to and love for Hutchins.
“You could just feel and see the trauma that they had gone through, like a war zone. And I was like, ‘Why would you put yourself back into your most difficult emotional nightmare?’” she said. “And every single person had the same response to me. When they learned that this film ‘Rust’ might help Halyna’s family, they thought of one thing: the fact that she has a son, and that son doesn’t get to have a mother anymore. And if they could do something for that little boy, then why would they not be there?”
Controversy erupted over the screening of “Rust” at Camerimage when it was announced last month. Żydowicz responded with a statement at that time, which said in part, “The sole purpose of this screening is to honor Halyna’s work, talent, and artistic achievements … Our aim is to honor and fulfill the wishes of Halyna and her family. It was Halyna’s dream to present ‘Rust’ at EnergaCamerimage, and her family wishes for this to happen as well.”
Mason said she wishes she could “know what Halyna would really want” when it came to the completion and premiere of “Rust.”
“But guess what? I can’t ask her,” she said. “For the past three years, I have been living in Halyna’s brain for the 12 days that she was on the set of ‘Rust’ to understand: What did she see in this movie? Did she love this movie? What was she doing there?”
Souza and Cline then took to the stage to deliver their own heartfelt remarks.
“I think it’s so amazing to see people supporting Halyna and what we finished together,” Cline said. “When you watch this film today, you’ll be experiencing the world through Halyna’s eyes. You’ll get to experience her vision of the world and I hope all of you have that in your hearts too as you watch that today.”
Added Souza, “We are here in a place that she loved so much, probably second only to being on set. I want to thank you all for coming and for taking a few hours out of your day to come celebrate my friend and to celebrate her art and her talent. She really was something.”
Hutchins was an up-and-coming talent, with credits including 2020’s “Archenemy” and “Blindfire” and 2019’s “Darlin.’” She was posthumously awarded honorary membership in the America Society of Cinematographers. Additionally, AFI launched the Halyna Hutchins Memorial Scholarship Fund.
“Rust” tells the story of a 13-year-old boy who, left to fend for himself and his younger brother following their parents’ deaths in 1880s Wyoming, goes on the run with his long-estranged grandfather after he’s sentenced to hang for the accidental killing of a local rancher.
In the aftermath of Hutchins’ death, star and producer Baldwin, who was handling the prop gun at the time of the accident, was charged with manslaughter but the case was dismissed on the grounds that the prosecution had failed to turn over evidence.
Following this decision, the defense for “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, who is serving an 18-month sentence for Hutchins’ death, asked for a new trial, but a judge denied the request and upheld the verdict.