On Saturday August 24, on the Terrace of the Palais des Festivals, the Jury of the Festival d’Art Pyrotechnique, presided over by writer Jean-Baptiste Andrea, unveiled the 2024 awards: – Vestale: Sirotechnics, United Kingdom – Special Jury Prize: Giuliani, Italy – Audience Prize: Sirotechnics, United Kingdom The awards ceremony took place in the presence of Thomas de Pariente – Deputy Director of Tourism and Events – representing David Lisnard – Mayor of Cannes, Bruno Desloques – Managing Director of the Palais des Festivals, Bruno Desloques – Managing Director of the Palais des Festivals, Bruno Desloques – Managing Director of the Palais des Festivals, Thomas de Pariente – Deputy Director of Tourism and Events, representing David Lisnard – Mayor of CannesGeneral Manager of the Palais des Festivals, and the Festival’s pyrotechnicians and partners who, after the announcement of the awards, attended the out-of-competition closing fireworks display by Chinese firm Lidu. The 2024 Jury, made up of personalities from the worlds of literature, art, music, dance and the press, was unanimous in its admiration for the innovation and creativity of the competing fireworks displays. In the case of Sirotechnics, the jurors particularly emphasized the perfect synchronization of music and pyrotechnic effects, demonstrating true artistic mastery. The Special Jury Prize went to Giuliani for the elegance of its show, combined with impressive power. “I’ve learned a lot from being on the jury of the Festival Pyrotechnique, an incredibly enriching experience. I had no idea that a firework display could be more than just an explosion of colored powder: it could also be a dance, a painting, a novel,” commented Jean-Baptiste Andrea.
Jury members
Jean-Baptiste Andrea, writer, President of the Jury
Francesco Curci, choreographer
Berthilde Dufour, concertmaster of the Orchestre national de Cannes
Hélène Jamin, craftswoman and President of the République des Arts
Sylvie Ruchon, representative of Cannes Radio, official partner
Festival Dart Pyrotechnique 24 @traverso PalaisdesfestivalsFor the first time this year, two internationally renowned pyrotechnic experts graded the displays, anonymously throughout the competition: Kenneth Hurley, head of shooting at North Star (Norway), and Oliver Zeng, former head of shooting at Dragon Fireworks (Philippines). Their expertise brought an extra technical dimension to the evaluation of the shows, ensuring maximum rigor in the awarding of the prizes. The jury also paid tribute to the quality of the performances of the other participants, notably Hermanos Caballer (Spain), HC Pyro (Belgium) and GFA (Canada). The Festival d’Art Pyrotechnique de Cannes remains one of the most prestigious events in the profession, where every pyrotechnic artist competes in creativity and expertise. The public, voting online, awarded the English firm a score of 4.1/5, all very close to each other, underlining a tight competition in which the level of participants was remarkably balanced. This event, which attracts thousands of spectators of all ages every year, is also an opportunity for Cannes beach operators to support the Fondation Cannes*. In 2023, this scheme raised over 45,000 euros, contributing to local projects of general interest. The Palais des Festivals et des Congrès de Cannes, in line with its raison d’être “Welcoming the World Sustainably”, actively supports these initiatives. It is also committed to minimizing the Festival’s environmental impact by implementing rigorous clean-up actions and favoring more environmentally-friendly materials, thus guaranteeing a harmonious balance between pleasure and preserving the future. * The Fondation Cannes was created by the Mayor of Cannes and six private patrons, with the aim of creating genuine local solidarity without recourse to public funds. The funds raised will be used to finance general interest projects run by Cannes-based associations in favor of children, education and environmental protection.
