Three years after the on-set shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, “Rust,” the Western flick starring Alec Baldwin, premiered at the Camerimage Festival in Poland without its star in attendance.
Director Joel Souza, who was also shot by the bullet fired out of Baldwin’s weapon during the incident at Bonanza Creek Ranch, admitted he understands why people may be hesitant to watch the film, but still hoped viewers would give the movie a chance.
After what legal experts described to Fox News Digital as a “comedy of legal errors” in Baldwin’s July criminal trial for Hutchins’ death, a New Mexico judge dismissed the involuntary manslaughter case against the “30 Rock” actor. He was facing up to 18 months in prison.
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“Rust” director Joel Souza accepts that audiences may not want to watch Alec Baldwin’s latest film. (Getty Images)
Despite the deadly incident on Oct. 21, 2021, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, “Rust” was completed with Baldwin as the lead character.
“If people don’t want to watch this movie, for any reason, they certainly don’t need to and there’s no hard feelings from me,” Souza told The Hollywood Reporter. “But what I hope is that people give it a chance — and if they do, that they look closely at the visual aspects, particularly the cinematography.”
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He added, “It’s a very unique opportunity to look through Halyna’s eyes and see how she saw the world. How much she is missed is evidenced by the fact that so many people came back to finish this film for her. They came back and stepped into a very difficult and loaded situation because they were touched by her, and it was important to them to finish this for her.”
Joel Souza testified in “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed’s criminal trial in March. (Courtesy: New Mexico Courts)
Hutchins’ family boycotted the Wednesday premiere of “Rust” due to Baldwin’s reluctance to apologize for the fatal on-set shooting. The premiere was dedicated to Hutchins, with organizers holding a moment of silence in her memory.
“It was always my hope to meet my daughter in Poland to watch her work come alive on screen,” Olga Solovey, Hutchins’ mother, said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. “Unfortunately, that was ripped away from me when Alec Baldwin discharged his gun and killed my daughter.”
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She added, “Alec Baldwin continues to increase my pain with his refusal to apologize to me and his refusal to take responsibility for her death. Instead, he seeks to unjustly profit from his killing of my daughter. That is the reason why I refuse to attend the festival for the promotion of ‘Rust,’ especially now when there is still no justice for my daughter.”
Halyna Hutchins’ mother said it was “extremely difficult without her” in a video message shared during Hannah Gutierrez Reed’s sentencing. (Courtesy: New Mexico courts)
Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died on the “Rust” set in October 2021. (Fred Hayes)
Souza introduced the film, and explained why he completed the project after initially wanting to scrap the film following Hutchins’ death. “It just hurt too much,” he said, before admitting that Hutchins’ husband Matthew encouraged him to see the production through fruition.
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“It was important to him that the people who knew and loved Halyna get to see her final work,” Souza said. The mission became “to preserve every single frame that I could of hers, and to honor her final work.”
Baldwin still faces a civil lawsuit brought against him by Hutchins’ family. The actor’s legal team filed a motion to have the lawsuit paused on Nov. 19, just a day before the “Rust” premiere in Poland.
Baldwin wept in court after his involuntary manslaughter charge was dismissed. (Pool Video via AP)
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Attorney Gloria Allred filed a lawsuit alleging battery, loss of consortium, infliction of emotional distress and more on behalf of Hutchins’ mother, sister and father in February 2023. The lawsuit claimed Hutchins was financially responsible for her family and had plans to bring them with her to live in America.
The lawsuit named Baldwin, producers of “Rust” and other defendants the lawyer argued are responsible for the death of Hutchins.
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