Three years after the fatal shooting on the set of Rust, the film will be shown at a festival in Europe

Rust the film that became infamous before it was even finished will have its world premiere in Poland. The western starring actor Alec Baldwin, whose filming was interrupted after the accidental death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, will have its world premiere in November at the EnergaCamerimage festival in Toruń, reports Variety .

The Ukrainian cinematographer, who died on set, was a regular at the festival. The director, Marek Zydowicz, said about her: « We knew our event was important. She felt at home among cinematographers from around the world, who have been meeting at Camerimage for 30 ans. » The event which will take place from November 16 to 23 is dedicated to the art of cinema and its creators, the directors of photography. « EnergaCAMERIMAGE contributes to the growth of the prestige of cinematographers. The Festival’s unconventional format, which rewards films based on their visual, aesthetic and technical values, is an alternative to traditional film festivals », can we read on the festival website.

The film’s producer and lead actor, Alec Baldwin, will not be there, however, according to the magazine The Hollywood Reporter . The presence of the other main actors – Travis Fimmel, Frances Fisher, Josh Hopkins and Patrick Scott McDermott – has not been confirmed.

The western tells the story of a 13-year-old boy who, abandoned after the death of his parents in Wyoming in the 1880s, flees with his grandfather, after being sentenced to hang for the murder accidental from a local breeder. The two men then try to escape the hunt of the sheriff and a bounty hunter.

A debate around safety on film sets

The magazine Variety says the screening will be followed by a panel discussion with director Joel Souza, who was also injured in the October 2021 gun accident that took place while filming in New Mexico. Cinematographer Bianca Cline, who completed the film, and Stephen Lighthill, Hutchins’ mentor at the AFI film school, will be in attendance. They will address the subjects of safety on set and the role of women in cinematography.

Also readAfter the fatal shooting on the set of Rust, Hollywood has a trembling hand on the use of firearms

In October 2021, Alec Baldwin pointed a weapon on the film set supposed to contain only blank bullets, but a very real projectile killed director of photography Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza. Occurring on a ranch in New Mexico, the incident sparked calls to ban firearms on sets. The filming of the film was interrupted and proceedings for manslaughter were brought against the actor and the gunsmith.

In early 2023, production of the film continued while proceedings were still underway. On April 15, 2024, the gunsmith on the set was sentenced to 18 months in prison for accidentally loading the actor’s pistol with a real bullet. As for the actor’s trial, it was finally canceled on July 12, 2024 due to a procedural flaw. The prosecution had not transmitted bullets related to the case to the defense.