Mother of ‘Rust’ Cinematographer Boycotts Film’s Premiere

The mother of Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer fatally shot on the set of “Rust,” is boycotting the film’s premiere, accusing Alec Baldwin of profiting from her daughter’s death.
The Western is set to debut at the Camerimage International Film Festival in Torun, Poland, three years after Hutchins was killed during a rehearsal on set.
Baldwin, the project’s lead actor and coproducer, was handling a revolver when it discharged, fatally striking Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.
He maintains he pulled back the hammer but did not pull the trigger.
Hutchins’ mother, Olga Solovey, issued a statement through her attorney, condemning Baldwin’s involvement.
“It was always my hope to meet my daughter in Poland to watch her work come alive on screen,” she said. “Unfortunately, that was ripped away from me when Alec Baldwin discharged his gun and killed my daughter.”
The Camerimage festival is a major event for the film industry, celebrating the art of cinematography. Souza is expected to introduce the film, dedicating the premiere to Hutchins.
Solovey says the event now represents an attempt by Baldwin to “unjustly profit” from her daughter’s death.
“Alec Baldwin continues to increase my pain with his refusal to apologize to me and his refusal to take responsibility for her death,” Solovey said.
“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.”
Newsweek reached out to Alec Baldwin’s legal representatives for comment via email.
Hutchins, 42, was a rising star in the film industry and a mother to a young son.
Born on a remote Soviet military base, she worked on documentaries in Eastern Europe before studying film in Los Angeles. Her death shocked Hollywood and led to increased scrutiny of safety protocols on film sets, namely the role of an armorer on productions featuring firearms.
While a New Mexico judge dismissed involuntary manslaughter charges against Baldwin earlier this year, Solovey’s lawsuit against him and other civil cases remain ongoing.
The film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was sentenced to 18 months in jail after prosecutors attributed the shooting to her recklessness, including the introduction of live ammunition onto the set. Prosecutors cited her failure to follow basic gun-safety protocols as a key factor in the incident.
The festival—headed this year by actor Cate Blanchett—has faced additional controversies with regards to “Rust” and other top-billed movies.
Camerimage festival director Kazimierz Suwala explained the festival’s decision not to invite Baldwin earlier this week, arguing it would detract from Hutchins’ tribute.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, she said: “We didn’t invite Alec Baldwin, and we never considered doing so. That would be too distracting. What this is about is honoring Halyna’s dreams for her work.”
Directors Steve McQueen and “The Substance” creator Coralie Fargeat pulled their films from the lineup, criticizing remarks made by festival founder Marek Żydowicz about female cinematographers that McQueen considered sexist.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press