Perfect weather and summer solstice were the background of the 30-minute pyromusical show performed by the French team of Prestatech-Artifices for the opening of the 2008 Montreal International Firework Competition, L'International des feux Loto-Québec at La Ronde. For its first appearance in Montreal, the new entrant presented "Montreal in the stars", an extravaganza developed with a soundtrack made of music from movies on the space conquest theme (Star Trek, Star Wars, Mars Attacks, and E.T., for instance).

Fabrice Chouillier, designer of the show, was not concerned with the lack of French music. "Most movies about space conquest are Americans, so it would have been difficult to include French music. I prefer to represent our country with our savoir-faire", said Chouillier in interview with PyroPlanet. Since Prestatech does not manufacture pyrotechnic pieces, all effects were purchased from Italian, Spanish, Chinese and, of course, French companies. "There is no longer several factories in France, so it is important for us to support them" explained Éric Radzynski, member of Prestatech crew. Thus, the French team used unusually bright shells of go-getters made with a lot of magnesium and dazzling the audience. These were supplied by Artifices et techniques pyrotechniques Maurice (ATPM). Prestatech also exhibited clusters of stars ejected from cakes and bursting very close to the lake, providing a pyrotechnic effect that enthusiasts have seldom seen in Montreal.

The next major display for this French company will be the July 14th show at the Eiffel Tower, in Paris. Prestatech does extravaganzas in Europe and Africa. Though it does larger shows, the one produced in Montreal was very important for them. "Doing a 30-minute display is very difficult" said Éric Radzynski. "I prefer to do a 15-minute show; we can do a lot of things within 15 minutes! The risk of repetition is high with a longer show. We have to cause surprises to the audience and to change the beat several times."

Prestatech was the first of a nine-contestant line-up. This is a thankless position: since institutionalization of the popular jury in 1992, only one opening display has been rewarded with a Jupiter prize (Ipon, an Italian company, won a Silver Jupiter in 1998).  In opposition, ten on-competition closing displays have been rewarded.

This year, new judging criteria are in force (click here for more details).

As PyroPlanet reported here, La Ronde has transformed the site around the lake. Here are new terraces with the newly built control room (in red).

 

 

 

 

Another change is the addition of a go-kart track close to the firing ramp. The ramp width was slightly reduced and new low safety walls have been built.

 

 

 

 

Prior to the French display, the director of the competition, Ms. Martyne Gagnon, and the chairman of La Ronde, Mr. Marc Tremblay, declared the opening of the 24th Montreal International Firework Competition.

 

 

 

 

Mr. Gérard Serre, French Consul in Montreal addressed a speech to the audience.

 

 

 

 

 Prestatech crew stood to the France national anthem.

 

 

 

 

 

Following the start of the show, a line of fountains along the lake and cakes of flying fish above.

 

 

 

 

On the music of Planet of the Apes, one of the sequences of mines fired from one extremity of the ramp to the other.

 

 

 

 

As the show came to a close, candles of meteor-headed comets erupted from the 5th firing ramp (in the centre of the lake).

 

 

 

 

For a comprehensive report, more photos and discussions, please visit Paul Marriott's website, montreal-fireworks.com.

The soundtrack of each firework display is broadcast live on local radio station 105,7 FM. To listen the music on the web, click here and select "Radio en direct" on firework nights at 10:00pm Eastern Time.

Text and photos: Frédérick Bastien