FRANCE: Battle of the skies in Cannes as pyrotechnics artists strive to create the best fireworks display of 2006

It was the battle of the titans. Six of the best fireworks artists in the world fought for the gold trophy at the 2006 Fireworks Contest on the French Riviera. All the entrants this year were winners from previous years' contests. Dominique Brezac is one of two French teams who have made it this far. Others came from Italy, Spain and Portugal. Fireworks runs in the blood for Brezac who runs a family firm with forty years experience. To further maximise their chances of winning, he and his team started setting up well ahead of time. "We started the installation four days ago," he told Reuters from one of three barges anchored in the bay that hold the explosive elements of the fireworks. "[We started off] by putting first of all anything that doesn't move on the quay, and then from the second day we moved onto [a barge on] the sea to install all the active fireworks and arm the systems." 4000 fireworks are going to be lit in the space of half an hour - and it's all got to be carefully choreographed to a soundtrack. "We are going to present a series of short pieces of film music, which will be illustrated by fireworks that have been specially selected for each effect," Dominique explained. Contestants are judged on the quality of their fireworks display, the soundtrack, how well the fireworks and the music are synchronised, and the general artistic impression. Getting it right is a fine art - and about 150,000 spectators come to watch each entry, "I think that everyone who comes the fireworks display at Cannes knows that there's an enormous difference between the traditional concept of fireworks ... and half an hour of fireworks in an extraordinary bay with three barges to let off the fireworks and three barges for sound - it becomes an opera, it sculpts the sky, it creates shapes, it really tells a story and it touches the heart, it's high art!" said Bernard Oheix, the event organiser. The display is visible for miles and attracts both passers-by, who happen to be in Cannes and fireworks aficionados who follow the circuit and watch every fireworks contest that's going. "This was one of the best (shows) of the season," said one spectator who's been going to fireworks competitions for 40 years and brought his grandson along this time. "And it wasn't bad compared to all the other seasons either!" "Impressive," said another, who came upon the fireworks display by accident and so got his first taste of international fireworks competitions. "What's so impressive is the play between light and music, it was synchronised, I thought that was brilliant!" "It was really interesting, I really enjoyed it," said a tourist who comes to Cannes specifically for the fireworks displays every year. "It's a beautiful town, we enjoy it every year. Nice people, nice town - I have to say thanks to everyone who organised this show." In the end, Dominique Brezac and his team didn't win - the golden trophy for the best fireworks team in the world went to the other French team, Feerie. But those who saw Brezac's carefully planned composition went away enchanted - and he no doubt succeeded in converting thousands of new fans to his love for pyrotechnics.

ITN Source | September 2, 2006

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