After the fatal accident during filming in 2021, the western “Rust” is scheduled to premiere today. But the planned screening at a festival is also causing controversy.
Three years have passed since the accident on the film set, but there is still no peace. Now, shortly before the planned world premiere of the western “Rust”, the mother of the camerawoman Halyna Hutchins, who was killed during filming, is speaking out.
Olga Solovey said through her lawyer that she did not want to come to the screening in protest. The reason: US actor Alec Baldwin (66) did not want to apologize to her and take responsibility for her daughter's death. “Instead, he wants to profit unfairly from the killing of my daughter.”
Filming continued
Filming, which was initially stopped, was continued in 2023 by director Joel Souza in the US state of Montana. The film is scheduled to have its world premiere today at the “Camerimage” film festival in Poland. According to the festival director, the film will be shown in Torun because camerawoman Hutchins told her friends before filming began that this was her dream.
An appearance by US director Souza is planned. Actor Baldwin is not expected. The festival initially announced that Solovey, who lives in Ukraine, would also come to the premiere if she was able.
Hit by gunfire
The case caused horror in 2021 – and later a long legal process. Lead actor and producer Baldwin handled a gun during rehearsal for a scene. Then a shot went off. Director Souza was hit in the shoulder and injured. Camerawoman Hutchins killed. Investigations later revealed that there was a real bullet in the Colt.
Weapons master Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was in charge of gun safety on set, was sentenced to 18 months in prison last spring for involuntary manslaughter. The question of how the live ammunition got onto the set has not yet been clarified.
Gutierrez-Reed and Baldwin had repeatedly denied blame for the incident. Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter in a separate case. But the process was unexpectedly stopped in July.
Settled out of court
The camerawoman's husband, Matthew Hutchins, reached an out-of-court settlement with Baldwin and the production company for compensation. But according to Variety, there are said to have been irregularities in the payments.
Accordingly, the widower and his lawyer should think about filing another lawsuit. In addition, her parents and younger sister, who live in Ukraine, are filing a civil lawsuit against Baldwin and others involved in the filming of “Rust.” This is about compensation for the pain caused by the death of Halyna Hutchins.
