Kn2s Productions interviews Uriel Venegas, producer of El Chacharero, a documentary short film that will premiere at the second edition of El Paso Film Festival this October 26th.

El Chacharero is the third installment from a trilogy of documentary films from the border community of Juarez, Mexico and El Paso, Texas. This third chapter tells the story of Edras, a man that survives by picking up trash in downtown Juarez.

In this interview, Venegas goes into detail about how the documentary came about, looking back at El Chacharero, how this film is important to the border community of Juarez-El Paso and what was it like to work with director Krisstian de Lara.

Below is the full interview with the producer:

Thank you Uriel for joining us today for this Kn2s Productions interview and congratulations on the premiere of El Chacharero at El Paso Film Festival this Saturday, October 26th. 
Venegas: Thank you very much, I’m delighted to present this project we worked very hard on and handled with lots of affection.

1. We are sure of that, how did the documentary came about?
Venegas: I thought of a similar project like El Chacharero‘s a few years back. I believe each person’s life-story is worthy of telling and if your life is as shocking as Edras, even more so. When I met Krisstian de Lara and his projects, El Dragón and El Flaco, I had no doubt collaborating with him to work on this film.

2. What do you think of El Chacharero‘s life now looking back?
Venegas: When you walk around downtown Juarez is very common to bump into people like El Chacharero. Individuals who walk from street to street looking for food to eat or looking for steel and glass to sell to be able to bring food to the table. It is then when I ask myself, “What are they willing to do to provide for their family?” Many rob stores or assault citizens, others probably entered the drug trafficking world, but he chooses not to hurt anyone in order to get something to eat. Nowadays, I see someone picking up trash and I wonder, “What kind of story lies behind?”

3. Why do you believe this story is pertinent to the border community?
Venegas: I believe society and the government have forgotten about people like Edras. He has the desire to work and does it everyday by searching for food along the streets of downtown Juarez but he never had someone to teach him more than picking up trash. His family made a living picking up “chácharas” (trash) along the streets and he believes that’s the only job he’s good at. Nonetheless, you can see it in his face of wanting to get ahead, the only thing missing is someone to push him to do more than just pick up “chácharas.”

4. Lastly, how was it to work with director, Krisstian de Lara?
Venegas: It is always gratifying to work with someone who loves what they do and propel you to do better things. In this case, Krisstian has taught me a lot in this project, and all thanks to the fact that he doesn’t stop bettering his craft.

Thank you Uriel and we look forward to the premiere of El Chacharero at El Paso Film Festival!

Venegas concludes the interview by thanking Kn2s Productions, and inviting the audience to join him and the director at the premiere of El Chacharero this Saturday, October 26th at 2:30pm at El Paso Museum of Art in downtown El Paso, Texas.

Watch El Chacharero’s second sneak peek below or click here.