Rust Sets World Premiere, Alec Baldwin Won’t Attend Screening
Three years after an on-set accident killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, Rust, an indie Western starring Alec Baldwin, will have its world premiere at Poland’s Camerimage International Film Festival in late November.
After the screening, there will be a special panel discussion with members of Rust’s crew, including director Joel Souza, cinematographer Bianca Cline, and Hutchins’ film school mentor, Stephen Lighthill.
“We knew that our event was important to her and that she felt at home among cinematographers from all over the world, who have been gathering at Camerimage for over 30 years,” Camerimage representatives said in a statement. “During the festival, we honored Halyna’s memory with a moment of silence, and a panel of cinematographers discussed safety on set. Now, once again, together with cinematographers and film enthusiasts, we will have this special opportunity to remember her.”
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Baldwin is not expected to attend. Baldwin is Rust’s star and producer. It is unclear if the rest of the cast will be on hand for the premiere.
What Happened to Alec Baldwin While Filming Rust?
In October 2021, Hutchins was fatally shot with a prop gun by Baldwin while preparing for a scene on set. Souza was hit and injured by the same round that killed Hutchins. The Hutchins family filed a wrongful death lawsuit, which was settled in October 2022. Production restarted in April 2023 and finished shortly after.
Criminal charges were filed against Baldwin, first assistant director Dave Halls, and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed. Baldwin received a charge of involuntary manslaughter, but his case was dismissed in July. Halls took a plea deal for negligence with a deadly weapon. Gutierrez-Reed is serving an 18-month sentence for involuntary manslaughter.
The film’s synopsis reads: “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.”
Besides Baldwin, Rust’s cast includes Travis Fimmel, Frances Fisher, Josh Hopkins, Jake Busey, Devon Werkheiser, and Patrick Scott McDermott. Souza wrote and directed Rust based on a story he conceived with Baldwin.
