Rust has paid tribute to late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in its closing credits following her on-set death three years ago.
The Alec Baldwin-starring Western movie made its premiere at the Camerimage International Film Festival in Poland on Wednesday (November 20). In honor of Hutchins, who was fatally shot by a prop gun wielded by Baldwin, the end credits of Rust began with the words “For Halyna,” followed by a quote attributed to Hutchins: “What can we do to make this better?”
According to Variety, director Joel Souza — who was struck by the same bullet that killed Hutchins — included the quote in the credits because it was “something she said all the time.”
“It took on such a deeper meaning afterward,” he told the outlet. “And it’s like, I can just apply that to life, you know? And if people did apply that to life, the world might be a much better place, frankly.”
He continued: “And it’s not something that she said because of that — she was talking about the frame — but she did live her life like that. She was kind to people and treated people well, and wanted to be helpful to people, and I think it’s a fitting legacy for her, that quote.”
Her director of photography credit also read “Halyna Hutchins, ASC” — an accreditation used by members of the American Society of Cinematographers, which was given to Hutchins posthumously.
The screening of Rust began with a short introduction by Souza and cinematographer Bianca Cline, who completed the movie with a “cinematography by” credit in the film. Hutchins’s husband, Matthew Hutchins, was also credited as executive producer, a title he received as part of a settlement agreement.
Ahead of the Rust premiere, the ticketing website for the Camerimage International Film Festival reportedly crashed due to high demand for the movie’s screening.
The decision to host the film’s premiere at the cinematography-focused event has proved to be controversial, as Hutchins’s mother Olga Solovey declined to attend the event because there was “still no justice for my daughter.”
“It was always my hope to meet my daughter in Poland to watch her work come alive on screen. Unfortunately, that was ripped away from me when Alec Baldwin discharged his gun and killed my daughter,” she said in a statement.
“Alec Baldwin continues to increase my pain with his refusal to apologize to me and his refusal to take responsibility for her death. 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.”
Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter case was dismissed in July after it was found that prosecutors had withheld evidence from the defense that could’ve shown how live rounds got onto the set of the Rust movie. The actor, 66, was facing up to 18 months in prison before the case was thrown out.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film’s armorer, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to 18 months in prison. She was blamed by prosecutors for unwittingly bringing live ammunition onto the set and for failing to follow basic gun safety protocols.
