Camerimage’s decision to premiere “Rust,” the controversial western in which cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed by a live round fired from a prop gun by actor/producer Alec Baldwin, is being met with backlash. Camerimage is a yearly film festival set in Toruń, Poland, that is dedicated to the art of cinematography, and the “Rust” premiere is being billed as a celebration of Hutchins’ life.
“Almost three years after the tragic death of Halyna Hutchins, a Ukrainian cinematographer who was part of the festival family, Camerimage is set to honour her memory and remind the world of her legacy,” reads the festival’s announcement. “A special World Premiere screening of the film ‘Rust’ will take place, followed by a unique panel discussion with the film’s director Joel Souza, cinematographer Bianca Cline, and Stephen Lighthill, Halyna’s mentor from her beloved film school, AFI.”
It’s a programming decision that is being met with dismay by some of Hutchins’ peers.
“I’m all for memorializing Halyna and her beautiful work but not by screening and thereby promoting the film that killed her,” wrote Oscar nominated cinematographer/director Rachel Morrison.
Morrison’s comments were written on instagram, which has become the platform of choice for cinematographers, who use it to share their work, and celebrate that of their peers. It is very common to find positive comments from a-list DoPs like Morrison praising and encouraging cinematography-related posts, including those by Camerimage, but the festival’s instagram announcement of “Rust” is being met with uncharacteristic negativity, with other notable female cinematographers expressing befuddlement of this decision.
Wrote “Swallow” and “Succession” cinematographer Katelin Arizmendi, “Are you kidding me,” in response to the announcement.
“This reads like an Onion headline,” wrote “Rez Ball” and “Insecure” cinematographer Kira Kelly. “This doesn’t honor Halyna. It legitimizes the producers who created the environment that led to her death.”
To Kelly’s point, while the tragic death was accidental, it was a mistake that should never have been made had the low-budget production not cut corners and avoided basic safety protocols. But the issue of where the blame ultimately lies has been hotly contested in the courtroom. The most recent legal development being the New Mexico courts denying a retrial for Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on “Rust” who in April was sentenced to 18 months in prison for the involuntary manslaughter of Hutchins and was recently denied release while she seeks an appeal.
The festival has replied to complaints with quotes from cinematographer Bianca Cline, who finished Halyna’s work on “Rust,” about why the film should premiere at a festival dedicated to cinematography, “I think that one of the things about the film is that nobody knows anything about Halyna. Everyone just knows about her death, and that’s sad because she’s such a beautiful person and a talented cinematographer.” The festival also notes that Hutchins’ mother Olga Solovey, and sister, Svetlana Zemko, and the cinematographer’s extended family in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, are looking forward to the film being released.
Camerimage is not only the premiere film festival dedicated to cinematography; the week-long event set in Poland is akin to homecoming week for those in the craft. Cinematographers, young and old, Oscar-nominated and up-and-coming, gather to watch each other’s work, talk shop, and party late into the evening. Being selected as a Camerimage Golden Frog competition film and receiving a premiere evening screening slot has become one of the most coveted screenings for a cinematographer and a reliable Oscar indicator for Best Cinematography nominations.
It is common for the festival to celebrate cinematographers who have recently passed away, often with a screening and panel discussion. And while it is clear that is what the festival had intended with the events surrounding the “Rust” premiere, showcasing the film itself will likely remain a controversial decision.
The Camerimage Film Festival takes place in Toruń, November 16-23, 2024
