Director Joel Souza discharged from hospital after being wounded on Alec Baldwin film ‘Rust’
LA TimesWriter-director Joel Souza, who was wounded in a tragic incident Thursday on the New Mexico set of his film “Rust” that took the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, was released from the hospital after being treated for his injuries. For the San Francisco-based Souza, “Rust” had the makings of a project that could boost his profile following a string of small-scale independent releases including, most recently, 2019’s gritty, R-rated police drama “Crown Vic.” Reviewing that film, The Times wrote, “Souza and his cast explore a familiar milieu, and though they fall short of saying anything startlingly insightful about it, they do a fine job of making it feel real, and even vital.” Baldwin had served as a producer on “Crown Vic” and, in an interview last year with the Hollywood Reporter, said he had become enamored with Souza’s writing and jumped at the opportunity to collaborate with him on his next film. In terms of tone, when I read it the first thing that came to mind is ‘Unforgiven.’ That time was filled with some dark realities and some harsh realities.” Writer-director Joel Souza attends the “Crown Vic” New York screening in 2019. In a statement on Twitter on Friday, Baldwin said he is “fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred.” On his LinkedIn profile, Souza, who made his feature debut in 2010 with the Luke Perry adventure film “Hanna’s Gold,” says he was inspired to become a filmmaker after seeing “Raiders of the Lost Ark” at age 8.