Many scenes in a documentary change during the editing process, while some end up on the cutting room floor. Over the course of two years, we captured 5 terabytes of footage for “Becoming Fools,” giving us a wealth of material to work with. I spent about ten months wrestling with the footage as I edited the story, concentrating on the journey of street youth preparing for a theatrical event on a professional stage. One scene that ultimately got cut was the Panchorizo Event.
Panchorizo is an incredibly talented entertainer in Guatemala, performing as a comedian, acrobat, and musician for audiences of all ages. During our program, Becoming Fools, we took several street youths to see his performance at the Guatemalan National Theatre to inspire them. Panchorizo started his journey performing on the streets of Guatemala and has now become a full-time professional artist, consistently selling out shows. I was truly motivated by the scene: the youth got a glimpse of what is possible when someone dedicates themselves to their passion and works hard. However, sometimes we need to let go of things we enjoy.
Panchorizo was originally supposed to have a significant role in the film “Becoming Fools.” However, due to his busy work schedule, he didn’t have the availability to join the cast. As a result, the only scene he filmed was quite fun and full of laughs. In the editing process, we ultimately decided that this scene didn’t advance the story, so we cut it from the final film. Thankfully, we can still share it in this format.