In a heart-wrenching development surrounding the controversial film “Rust,” the mother of deceased cinematographer Halyna Hutchins has firmly rejected attending the film’s world premiere at Poland’s prestigious Camerimage Festival, citing ongoing pain and lack of accountability from actor Alec Baldwin.
“It was always my hope to meet my daughter in Poland to watch her work come alive on screen,” Olga Solovey, Hutchins’ mother, expressed through her attorney Gloria Allred on Tuesday. The premiere, scheduled for Wednesday at the Camerimage Festival, comes three years after the tragic on-set incident that claimed Hutchins’ life.
The shooting occurred in October 2021 on the New Mexico set when Baldwin, handling a prop gun during rehearsal, discharged the weapon, fatally wounding Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. The incident sparked widespread debate about film set safety protocols and led to multiple legal battles.
“Alec Baldwin continues to increase my pain with his refusal to apologize to me and his refusal to take responsibility for her death,” Solovey bluntly states in her statement. Instead, he seeks to unjustly profit from his killing of my daughter.“
The film’s completion, which took place in Montana roughly 18 months after the shooting, was part of a legal settlement with Hutchins’ widower, Matthew Hutchins. The agreement included provisions for the film’s proceeds to benefit Hutchins’ young son, who was nine years old when he lost his mother.
However, the settlement hasn’t ended the legal complications. Hutchins’ parents and sister filed a separate lawsuit, currently pending in New Mexico. Their attorney, Gloria Allred, strongly criticizes the film’s premiere as exploitation, stating, “Now, a decision has been made to promote ‘Rust’ to buyers in order to make a profit for Alec Baldwin and others that had a role in Halyna’s death.”
The criminal case has seen significant developments. Prosecution missteps led to the dismissal of Baldwin’s manslaughter charges in July. However, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the film’s armorer, received an 18-month prison sentence for loading live ammunition into Baldwin’s gun.
The premiere itself will feature a panel discussion with director Joel Souza and Bianca Cline, the cinematographer who completed the film after Hutchins’ death. Also participating is Stephen Lighthill, who mentored Hutchins at AFI.
Adding to the controversy, the Camerimage Festival faces additional challenges. Notable filmmaker Steve McQueen withdrew his participation in protest of allegedly sexist comments made by festival founder Marek Żydowicz about female cinematographers. Director Coralie Fargeat followed suit, pulling her film “The Substance” from the lineup.
The situation highlights the complex intersection of art, commerce, and tragedy. While the producers frame the premiere as a tribute to Hutchins’ final work, her family views it differently. “There is still no justice for my daughter,” Solovey emphasizes, her words echoing the unresolved nature of this Hollywood tragedy.
The 66-year-old Baldwin maintains he didn’t pull the trigger and was unaware of live ammunition in the gun. Meanwhile, Hutchins’ family continues their quest for accountability, with Allred noting that Baldwin’s “decision not to even call the family to say he is sorry is cruel and dishonors Halyna and her memory.”
As “Rust” prepares for its debut, the film stands as a stark reminder of the human cost behind this Hollywood production and the ongoing debate about responsibility, justice, and the ethics of completing a project marked by such profound loss.