Abramorama has acquired “The Trial of Alec Baldwin” from Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning filmmaker Rory Kennedy, TheWrap has learned. The filmmaker was granted exclusive access to Baldwin in the aftermath of the 2021 accidental shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust.”
Abramorama acquired the rights for the North American release of “The Trial of Alec Baldwin,” and is eyeing an awards campaign. The film is slated to open in New York on Oct. 1 at Village East by Angelika. There will be an additional premiere on Oct. 15 at Los Angeles’ the Laemmle Monica, on top of a week-long Oscar-qualifying run at the Laemmle Noho 7. The documentary will then play in other theaters across the U.S.
“’The Trial of Alec Baldwin’ doesn’t shy away from complexity or discomfort,” Karol Martesko-Fenster, CEO of AB2 Media Group and Abramorama, said in a statement to media. “Rory and her [life and producing] partner Mark Bailey have crafted a film that goes beyond the headlines to ask hard questions about how we assign blame, process tragedy, and judge public figures in real time. We’re honored to partner with them in bringing this story to theaters.”
Kennedy and Bailey added: “We felt this was an important story for our times, a vital story about the state of our judicial system. Alec is an enduring and undeniably significant figure in Hollywood, and the trial surrounding ‘Rust’ raised questions well beyond the events that transpired on set. Alongside Abramorama, we are eager to bring this documentary to theater audiences so that the broader public can grapple with the complex questions at the heart of the film.”
In 2021, cinematographer Hutchins was killed when Baldwin, who co-wrote and produced the film along with starring in it, discharged a gun that was meant to only be loaded with blank rounds. The live round fatally struck Hutchins and also wounded director Joel Souza.
Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter, but those charges were dismissed in July 2024 after it was revealed that police and prosecutors withheld key evidence from defense attorneys. Prop armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was previously convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Four years after the on-set incident, “Rust” received a limited theatrical run. But the film largely went unnoticed in its opening weekend, grossing just $25,000 from 115 theaters.
The Hollywood Reporter first reported the acquisition news.
