Rust will make its world premiere at Poland’s prestigious EnergaCamerimage International Film Festival, just over three years after the death of the film’s cinematograher, Halyna Hutchins, from an accident involving producer-star Alec Baldwin.
The festival, which focuses especially on the contributions of cinematographers to filmmaking, will be followed by a conversation with Rust director Joel Souza, Rust cinematographer Bianca Cline, and Stephen Lighthill, Halyna’s mentor from her beloved film school, AFI. Cline took over cinematography on Rust after Hutchins’ death.
The festival will be held November 16 through 23 in Torun, Poland.
“In the panel, following the screening of Rust, the filmmakers will discuss events surrounding the film, offering insight into continuing production after Halyna’s death. Maintaining Hutchins’ artistic vision, as tremendously challenging as it was for the entire crew, was really important to the filmmakers, hoping to fulfil their duty to complete her work,” EnergaCamerimage announced on its site.
“During the panel, they will discuss the unique visual style that Halyna developed on set and explain how Bianca Cline, who took over her work, managed to remarkably replicate Halyna’s style. Thanks to Cline’s skill, the cinematography remains consistent throughout the film.”
The festival promised that the panel would also address “important issues in the film industry,” including safety on set and the role of women in cinematography.
The 2021 edition of the festival began soon after Hutchins’ death, and included a moment of silence in her memory.
“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,” festival director Marek Zydowicz in a statement. “Now, once again, together with cinematographers and film enthusiasts, we will have this special opportunity to remember her.”
Rust and Halyna Hutchins
Hutchins was was fatally shot on the Rust set in Santa Fe, New Mexico in October 2021. The film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and found guilty last spring. She is currently serving an 18-month prison sentence.
Baldwin was charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter, but Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case in July, finding that the prosecution had suppressed evidence.
“There is no way for the court to right this wrong,” the judge said. “The sanction of dismissal is the only warranted remedy.”
She dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning that charges cannot be filed again. But last month, New Mexico prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey asked the judge to reconsider dismissing criminal charges against Baldwin.
The actor has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, saying the weapon fired without him pulling the trigger.
Screening Rust at the cinematography-focused festival is an attempt to place attention on Hutchins and her work, rather than on the debate over her cause of death.
The festival — one of MovieMaker‘s 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee — has attracted a who’s who of film luminaries, including cinematographers John Toll and Roger Deakins and directors Denis Villeneuve, David Lynch and Quentin Tarantino.
It also draws a large industry presence, and has previously drawn distributors from Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery, Disney, Sony Pictures Classics, HBO, and Amazon.
The festival is held in Torun, which is known for the smell of gingerbread in the air, because some of its key ingredients are found nearby, along the Vistula river.
Other highlights of this year’s festival will include an opening night screening of Blitz, directed by Oscar winner Steve McQueen, and award for Outstanding Achievements in Documentary Filmmaking for director Gianfranco Rosi (Fire at Sea), and a Special Award for a Production Designer, which will go to Nathan Crowley (Wicked).
Main image: Alec Baldwin in Rust.