"Just appalling": 'Rust' film festival screening getting flak from cinematographers on social media

As reported, Alec Baldwin's controversial Western film Rust is making its world premiere at Toruń, Poland's EnergaCAMERIMAGE Festival, which runs from Nov. 16 to Nov. 23.

The annual event is the most recognized festival dedicated to the art of cinematography and cinematographers, but some in that field are crying foul over promoting the film that led to the shooting death of its cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021.

She was mortally wounded and director Joel Souza injured when a live bullet in the chamber of a Colt-style revolver being aimed by Baldwin discharged, striking both of them.

The festival's organizers insist the tribute will "honour her memory and remind the world of her legacy."

"I'm all for memorializing Halyna and her beautiful work but not by screening and thereby promoting the film that killed her," replied Rachel Morrison, a veteran director of The Morning Show and The Mandalorian, and the cinematographer for Black Panther and other films.

Veteran cinematographer Bill Bennett noted, "Agreed. IMDB lists 31 credits for movies that Halyna shot as Cinematographer. Why not show one of those at the festival to honor her?"

"To promote and celebrate a film which took the life of its cinematographer is unthinkable," expressed Kate Reid, who counts Apple TV+'s Silo and Game of Thrones among her credits.

Rings of Power and Peaky Blinders alum Laurie Rose called it "just appalling" and "mind-boggling," adding in part, "you don't [honor her] with the film that she didn't survive ... To even shine light on a production that was obviously a failure on so many levels is shameful."

For what it's worth, Hutchins' mentor Stephen Lighthill is taking part in the post-screening Q&A, and at least one comment said that should be taken as a sign of support.