The scheduled North American release of a new documentary entitled Flint: Who Can You Trust? has been indefinitely postponed, following a fatal incident late last week involving film narrator Alec Baldwin. Baldwin’s name made headlines last week, after the 63-year-old actor mistakenly discharged a loaded gun on a New Mexico film set, claiming the life of 42-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Created by British production house Montrose Pictures, Flint: Who Can You Trust? was set to explore the twists and turns of the ongoing Flint water crisis, investigating developments that have transpired over the past five years, long after media interest in the story began to wane. The film is the most recent of several projects aiming to shine a light on the plight of Flint, Michigan, which stands as one of the worst government failures in recent US history. Following the city’s decision to switch to a cheaper source of water supply in 2014, citizens soon began complaining of health-related issues such as skin rashes, hair loss, itchy skin and unexplained malaise. Studies later revealed that the water was contaminated with critical levels of lead, leached from poorly-kempt pipes due in part to the corrosive nature of the newfound water source. As the citizens of Flint continue to fight for clean water and clear answers from their elected officials, films shining light on the issue are as important as ever. In light of the recent tragedy involving narrator Alec Baldwin, however, director Anthony Baxter issued the following statement to press:
“Out of the deepest respect for all those affected by this terrible tragedy, we feel now is not the time to release Flint: Who Can You Trust? The film sheds a crucial spotlight on the ongoing plight of Flint residents because of the water disaster. However, we will now be positioning the film for release in the US at a future date.”
According to court documents, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally wounded on a working film set late last Thursday, after an assistant director had assured Baldwin that a loaded prop weapon was in fact empty and safe for use. The incident took place on the set of upcoming Western film Rust. Director of Rust, Joel Souza, was also injured in the tragic accident, and is currently in recovery.
In addition to Flint’s postponement, a Kickstarter raising funds for a wider release of the film has also been halted, “out of respect, following recent events.” Flint had been scheduled to release across North America this Friday, in cities including Los Angeles, New York, and Toronto. A digital release was scheduled for next month, courtesy of Cargo Film & Releasing. No estimate has been provided for a rescheduled release date.