After the tragic passing of cinematographer Halyna Hutchinson this past week, the American Film Institute has responded by dedicating a scholarship in her name. The Halyna Hutchinson Memorial Scholarship Fund has been established for students at the AFI Conservatory. Hutchinson graduated from the Conservatory in 2015. “As is profoundly true in the art of cinematography,” the institute said in a statement, “words alone cannot capture the loss of one so dear to the AFI community.”
The scholarship will help fund the education of female cinematography students at the Conservatory. “We pledge to see that Halyna Hutchins will live on in the spirit of all who strive to see their dreams realized in stories well told,” AFI explains.
Hutchins was tragically killed on the set of Rust, where star Alec Baldwin accidentally discharged a prop gun that also wounded director Joel Souza. Hours before the accident, members of the camera crew had walked off of the set in protest of harsh working conditions. Hutchins was also said to be advocating for better conditions for the crew. Baldwin is fully cooperating with the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office during their investigation of the event.
Hutchins was born in the Ukrainian village of Horodets, graduating from Kyiv National University with a degree in journalism. She then immigrated to the United States and attended AFI Conservatory, where her thesis project Hidden was screened at multiple film festivals. She is also an alumnus of the 21st Century Fox DP Lab and was honored by the American Cinematographer magazine as an up-and-coming cinematographer. Her credits span over thirty projects, which include the 2020 films Archenemy and Blindfire. She is survived by her husband Matthew and her son.
Those who wish to contribute to the Halyna Hutchins Memorial Scholarship Fund can do so on the AFI website. Collider extends our thoughts towards the Hutchins’ family and friends during this difficult time.