Montréal International Fireworks Competition Reports

The end of an era.

August 26th 2022 will mark the end of an era for the Montreal International Fireworks Competition as its director since November 1997, Martyne Gagnon, will retire. In tandem with Paul Csukassy, the competition’s technical director, her record of achievements include 208 official shows of the Montreal International Fireworks Competition, as well as a number of other pyrotechnic events, including the spectacular extravaganza held on Mont Royal to mark the Millennium celebrations for the year 2000. She also played a key role in the organization of the 10th International Symposium on Fireworks which took place October 15-19th 2007 in Montréal.

To mark this occasion, montreal-fireworks.com spent some time with Martyne to get her thoughts from her time at the helm of the most important fireworks competition. The interview was held on the morning of Saturday, July 30th at La Ronde, one week before the closing show of the 2022 season. She discussed her early days in the competition, her mentors, the life of the competition director, changes through the years, as well as the future.

The early days

montreal-fireworks [MF] You came from a background in tourism. What was your first position at La Ronde?

When I started in 1996, on 15th of July, I was in customer services, but on the island, not at La Ronde, because at that time it was Société du Parc des Îles. So I was more on the other side of Notre-Dame island. I had signage, parking, and customer services at the time. But I’m coming from 19 years in tourism.

[MF] Can you describe your being put in charge of the fireworks?

In 1997 they reorganized the company and they told me that I will have shows and also they told me I would take care of the fireworks. I was really surprised! After only one year there, the fireworks! So when they proposed that to me, of course I was excited, but I was a little bit worried as well. I said to them, I need help. I need someone to train me. I knew this was an event in good health. It was, as we say in French, un événement sain, that means that it’s a popular event that goes very well, that people are excited to see. They just said to me: “You have a technical director.” It was strange because I didn’t have much time with [the previous director] so I felt that I have to find out by myself, by reading the boxes of the archives and learn by myself. You know, it was stressful. Maybe not the first year, as the calendar and the firms were already selected by Giovanni [Panzera].

In January I didn’t have that technical director anymore. I can judge many things about a person, the initiative side of a person, but not their pyrotechnic knowledge. So my boss at the time, Marcel Caron, had a good idea. He said we will ask Jean Bissonnette who was a former explosives inspector from Natural Resources Canada [and one of the people involved with starting the competition in 1985] to help interview candidates with you. It was decided there would be two people from outside and two people from inside [interviewed] Our choice was Paul Csukassy [who was on the original overnight clean-up crew from 1985-1990 before being hired as a pyrotechnic assistant by La Ronde in 1990]. So I’ve been working with him since 1998.

Transition, Mentors and the International Symposium

[MF] I suppose you were lucky that Giovanni was still alive and involved at the time you took over as director

When I started in 1998, the choices [of the participants] were already done. So he gave it to me and then we started. But I had a lot to learn, Paul, also had a lot to learn. He had the knowledge, but he didn’t know what in the office he would have to do.

[MF] So it was very short transition really?

It took one year to get used to everything. At the time I had the fireworks, but I also had everything else. So I said to them, it’s very strange to go from a mortar to parking signage. And then it was too much! If they wanted to develop the show part or the animation part of my department, I had to be really concentrated on that. So as I said, I can’t do everything at the same time! So we started and I could see myself as a sponge because to take all the information that’s not written anywhere, even to become a pyrotechnician.

[MF] How did you learn what you needed for your role?

For my education to see what’s done it was from people coming over here. I remember in Valencia [at the Symposium], we went to a demonstration of pieces. I was sat behind Georg Alef [of Weco] and he’s a teacher, he’s a teacher! He could tell me, okay this was that. And he would describe every piece because they go one by one as it’s like a product demo. I followed him during all the symposium whenever we had a fireworks show in the evening there.

I would say that when I tell you that I’m sponge I was listening when I was going to the symposium. I knew that someone was there from San Sebastian. So I discovered that it was a traditional competition, but a very old competition.

It was at the beginning. That’s how I learned also, because I was also working when we have a pyjama-day fireworks. I was working on the site, not during the competition, but I did three to four of those fireworks.

Life as the Competition Director

[MF] During your time as director, you raised two children. Was it difficult for you and your family to have you so occupied during the peak of summer?

I’ve been working here 27 years and 19 years at the Olympic park. I remember that my daughter, Émilie was five and my son Olivier was around three and I was feeling a little bit guilty. So I asked them the question, do you like that your mother works at La Ronde and that I work a lot and I’m not always here for you? “Maman! Tu travailles à La Ronde! On va te voir tous les jours de feux! Tout va bien!” ["Mom! You work at La Ronde! We'll see you every day of the fireworks Everything is fine!"]
My heart was feeling better!  Later on they were volunteers at the event!

[MF] Which countries have you traveled to in your role as Competition Director?

Only the symposium! After Six Flags took over La Ronde sometimes they did not encourage people to travel too much. The one [country] I went to is when they had the homage to Panzera. We did  one here [at La Ronde]  they did one in Geneva and they did one in Cannes. So I went to Cannes. What’s funny about that is that I was sitting with the organizer Mario Igual and the technical director.  And all of a sudden I heard “Il y a un problème” [There's a problem] on the walkie-talkie! And I stood up and Mario said to me, “it’s not your place, it’s not your event”. It was funny!

[MF] How did you get information about how other international competitions are organized?

I do as everybody does, I search through the internet! Cannes, when I was there, I took information on that. And then I heard about the Pyronale. I heard about all the other competitions but it was from people who went there. As you know, Panzera, they do a lot of shows in Dubai and everywhere. So at the same time they participate in many competitions. So I was like, “Maria Grazia: Give me some information about that.” [Maria Grazia Gerbaudo is Panzera's export director and is closely involved in the Montreal competition]. Even if it’s confidential, sometimes they were sending me the contracts because they knew I would only look at it for myself.

Changes through the years

[MF] There’s been a lot of change over these past 25 years going from a public corporation through to a private corporation and different sponsors. How did you manage all those big changes without having any visible impact on the competition?

Everything happened  in 2000, I believe. For one year we didn’t have any name anymore! We had a transition period at the time it was with the SÉMIQ [Société des événements majeurs internationaux du Québec - an organization to help move away from tobacco sponsorship]. We thought at the time that we would not find an only sponsor and that there will be, we say a “multi-pluralité” so many  sponsors were what we would  get used to. Then the  SAQ [Société des alcools du Québec] was interested. There were changes as the  SAQ was more towards events with food and drink. So they were supposed to be with us for five years, but Loto-Québec took the fifth year of the sponsorship and have been with us ever since.  I had access to  studies they did as to  why the fireworks? It’s  because  it’s a gathering event. You can pay if you want, but  you can see it free. There’s so many people that are seeing the fireworks from everywhere, that’s the part that made them the title sponsor.

[MF] As a woman, how would you describe the challenges for women who are interested in the pyrotechnic industry?

I believe that we have a good example here because  of our pyrotechnicians. The ladies  work as much as the guys and  they can be part of it.  When I arrived, it was only men, men everywhere in the local crew and in the  competing crews. And it slowly becomes better. The Koreans, they had a lady [Helen Ong]. This year Hungary – that’s a woman [Anikó Tóthné Seres] that did the design of this show.  I’m very happy about that. I’m very happy because  I like it better. We can bring everyone. And it’s different climate.

[MF]  I think also with Maria Grazia taking over from Giovanni Panzera. That was a very positive move.

You know when Mr. Panzera died, previously sometimes we could make recommendation like Portugal – when they came before Giovanni Panzera was not happy with the display. So they were never invited. So I said, in Montreal, we have a big Portuguese community. Don’t tell me there’s not one firm now that would not be able to come in Montreal. And so he did invite a firm he … he was smiling and said “Martyne wanted Portuguese firm”, you know, things like that. So it’s good to have both. And to me that’s very important because I’ve been working also as a director at the Olympic park. There were not that many women. In a directors group, it’s always more men.

Achievements and the future

[MF] When you think about all the things you have done during your directorship, is there a particular achievement you are especially proud of?

To be able to select the firms because as you know, it was Mr. Panzera previously. I knew nothing at the time but with the symposium, I was learning more and more. Now I can tell you who’s ready to come in Montreal and who’s not ready – who has a “few classes to do”. While I’m being really modest, it’s in an important competition and we call it “The Olympic Games” – but if we would let a firm that will do a bad display, it’s not only not good for us, but also for the firm, well everybody will hear about that!

[MF] So can you elaborate on the preparation process to compete in Montreal?

I look at what it is that does not prepare a firm to come to Montreal and we let them wait and we follow them. When they come to visit the [firing] ramps I say send me where they are or sometimes I can send Maria as a spy as she knows a lot of people. We did that with some firm, but I won’t tell the name! but we did that. For Croatia [competing this year] I think it’s okay to speak about it, because that is so funny. We’ve been meeting him in a symposium, meeting him in a second symposium. He sent [his son] Nikola to visit the ramps. And once Franjo did ask me “Martyne, we did what you ask for. Why don’t you invite us?” And I said “Because you are doing only national competitions. When you go abroad, I’ll be glad to invite you”. And that took a lot of years! Sometimes people were invited because they were recommended by Georg Alef. He told me “invite Jupiter, Jupiter from Argentina”. [MF: and they won the Gold Jupiter for their first participation!] I have enough confidence in him  when he say “these are the people”.  When he called me, he said ” you know, Martyne, that I will never refer you someone who’s not able to come to Montreal and if I do, my name is behind that”. [MF So it sounds like Georg is a very special friend, both to you and the competition] - yes!

I also never found the good diplomatic way to say “no!” you’re not ready because they’re all telling me “oh, we are good”.

[MF] Will we see you as a bénévole serving drinks in the Salon des artificiers next year?

Good idea. I don’t know. [MF You don't know yet?] I don’t know. Maybe, I don’t know. Maybe I will spend the first year [next summer] to look at the fireworks and be spectator at La Ronde. And probably the year after elsewhere. I learned now it’s unbelievable that the Jacques-Cartier bridge corporation announced on Facebook that people should come onto the bridge. I was told that they were nearly 40,000 people!

[MF] Will you be writing a memoir?

Oh, a memoir ? Maybe, I don’t know ! I have the plan to go to Italy in September. But other than that, I know what I didn’t do during the summer. So there’ll be a year to myself to rediscover and put me in good shape. I used to do lots of exercise. I would like to be a bird, to go from places to places. So I will come back. And of course, I’m a little emotional about quitting, but I know fireworks will always be around me. And then, I will have time to grow flowers that resemble fireworks and take pictures of them!

[MF] Martyne thank you so much for the time this morning. I know it’s a busy time now and we really, really appreciate you spending the time with us today.

Testimonials

Georg Alef – Chief Designer Weco Pyrotechnische Fabrik GMBH – Germany

When I think of Martyne , the first thing that comes to mind is her bright, warm-hearted smile! This was also what I was looking forward to most when I set off with the WECO fireworks team towards Montréal. Especially her authentic, people-oriented charisma made us pyrotechnicians from all over the world feel at home in Montréal La Ronde.I believe that, if Martyne had not become the director of the Montréal Fireworks Festival, she would have become a Canadian ambassador. She showed extreme diplomatic skills in many situations, both in dealing with the many international fireworks teams and internally with the Montréal fireworks team. Together with Paul Csukassy, she enthusiastically presented your fireworks competition at the many international symposia around the world and made it what it still is today: the unofficial world championship of pyrotechnicians. Or as the legendary Giovanni Panzera once said, Montréal is the University of Fireworks!

Martyne, Georg Alef, Paul Csukassy - Naples 2000

It takes a great deal of perseverance to keep this competition going for so many years, sometimes against a lot of internal and external resistance, but also to lead the competition to its peak through clever changes.

If I were to write a book about my life as a pyrotechnician, I would dedicate a chapter to Martyne and the Montréal fireworks team. And if I had learned a little earlier of her decision to end her career and retire with the last fireworks display of this season, I would be in Montréal now. But that’s how Martyne is, as far as her person is concerned! Modest!

I can only hope and wish that we will meet again at the upcoming symposium in Malta to fight together for the preservation of the fireworks culture.

For me she is and remains the “great woman of fireworks”!

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Ettore Contestabile – Explosives Board Natural Resources Canada – Canada

During her employment by LaRonde, Martyne has been instrumental in nurturing and expanding the stature and influence of the Montreal Fireworks Competition. It has been due to her consistent efforts for perfection that members of the fireworks industry strive to compete and win a podium position (a “Jupiter”) at the most exclusive competition in the world, the Montreal Fireworks Competition.We have had the good fortune to have had Martyne support the International Symposium on Fireworks (ISF) via, paper submission to the ISF Proceedings, making presentations of those papers, heading moderated sessions on the delivery of the World’s best Fireworks Competition, acting as Session Chairperson, and even as a Technical Co-Chair when the ISF returned to Montreal for its 10th anniversary in 2007. It has been an incredible journey for her as a “teacher” and the ISF registrants as students.Many of the ISF registrants took the opportunity to learn from Martyne and to discuss what would be required to compete in Montreal at the Fireworks Competition. Of course, Martyne benefitted from attending an ISF since she would be presented by a host of fireworks professionals from which she could choose the very best for her Competition.

Martyne & Ettore - Berlin Symposium 2006

In 2013 I had the opportunity to travel with Martyne to Macau to a closed session of the CIFAM Forum, as guests of the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO). This was the 25th Anniversary of the Macau International Fireworks Display Contest and Martyne correctly predicted the winner! The Forum was held with a selected group of speakers and attendees and as usual, Martyne wowed the audience.

A couple of notes of interest are the following.

• For some reason both Martyne and Maria Grazia, missed a presentation by a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Fireworks Code, Technical Committee Leader, at the 8th ISF, (April 18-22, 2005), in Shiga, Japan. The presentation was on the Station Nightclub Fire, that was supposedly caused by the use of indoor pyrotechnics and where many people lost their lives. Martyne was so adamant to learn from the NFPA Leader of the Station Nightclub Fire that I had to arrange a private presentation of the topic for her and a few others. This is unheard of in Conferences, but it simply indicates the close “family” that the ISF nurtures and the important stature that Martyne holds with the fireworks community.
• My wife and I ran into Martyne at the airport, on her way to the 11th ISF, (April 20-24, 2009) in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. As usual, she had brilliant “fireworks hair”. How appropriate! She seemed very concerned at the time about the situation that was taking place in Montreal regarding claims that the competition Fireworks Displays were producing excessive pollution. She pulled out papers with data from the various monitoring stations located in Montreal, but it seemed that the so-called pollution peaked during a Display but within hours, subsided, especially that of the air quality. The data of the effect to the water was minimal and also diminished back to “normal” within a few hours. No big deal and our discussion at the time, appeased her, somewhat. We further discussed this data at the ISF but then afterwards, this concern seemed to have disappeared, only now, unfortunately, it appears to be surfacing again.

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Martin Hildeberg – Manager / Display Designer – Göteborgs FyrverkeriFabrik AB Sweden

“My participations in Montreal have been highlights in my career, hard work for sure, but also great experiences. Meeting Martyne was surely one of them! I cannot imagine the competition without her”

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The Foti  Family – Foti’s International Fireworks – Australia

The beauty of fireworks is its capacity to draw people from all generations, genders, cultures and walks of life together as one. It brings out the child in all of us. Montreal’s L’International des Feux Loto-Québec is the epitome this quality. However it is not just the audience that comes together as a community. Throughout the history of this event a broad church of pyrotechnicians gather annually in Montreal to share their art. For 25 years Martyne Gagnon has been the anchor for this international band of pyro sisters and brothers. Events don’t run themselves and the professionalism of the L’International des Feux Loto-Québec organisation goes without saying. However it is the warmth and generosity of spirit that Martyne exudes that is reflected in the whole team in Montreal. It is this quality that equally, if not more than the production quality, that has built and enhanced the reputation of the L’International des Feux Loto-Québec competition.

The Foti family and our whole team from Australia wish Martyne all the best for her retirement and know that her legacy will continue on in the crew of L’International des Feux Loto-Québec.

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Stephen Pelkey – CEO & Artistic Director – Atlas PyroVision Entertainment USA

“It has been an honor and privilege to know and work with Martyne over the last 20 plus years.  She has been a very gracious and welcoming host when our teams have attended or competed at LaRonde.  Martyne’s love for pyrotechnics and admiration for pyrotechnicians will always be remembered by each of us that have had the pleasure of being her colleague and friend.”

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Melanie Cagnon – Co-founder – Ignitionconcept Portugal

“Martyne was and will always be an inspiration for me. Her passion, professionalism, and integrity have coloured my professional and personal lives, and have inspired my choices as a manager, a women, and a mom. This is for sure one of the encounters that changed my life. My fireworks era started in 2000 as staff at La Ronde. And 20 years later, we won a gold Jupiter there – all with Martyne by my side”

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Eric Tucker – 6-times Gold Jupiter Winner – USA

“For me The Montreal Competition from Giovani Panzera forward was the seminal point of change for how I viewed and proceeded within the Fireworks industry.

Eric Tucker and Paul Marriott 1998

It changed everything. Martyne Gagnon was there with open arms and no judgement to help guide and encourage. Where Giovani shoved, Martyne nudged us all to take risks that in the end was what moved us all forward. We found ourselves suddenly painting and telling musical stories with fireworks – a surprise to us all. Martyne constructed a platform for us that was a safe place to take creative risks. Professional to a fault, but the smile and sparkle of the eyes always gave her away as one of us. Thank you Mon Ami for all that you have done for all of us.”

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Stephen & Rocco Vitale – Pyrotecnico – USA

Martyne,Thank your for your tireless dedication to the art of Fireworks. Not only did you help create the Greatest Fireworks Competition in the World but you created a place where Pyrotechnicians from across the Globe were always welcome. La Ronde has always been to place to see familiar faces in the industry & meet new ones. We wish you best with your retirement.

All the best,

Stephen & Rocco Vitale & everyone at Pyrotecnico

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Michael Jones – The Pyro Studio Ltd. – UK

Martyne created for pyrotechnicians from all over the world and diverse cultures, an internationally renowned theatrical space in which to perform their art. She and Paul led the way in treating firework artists as artists, championing originality, dedication and vitality.

They treated the medium of fireworks with the same reverence as other performing arts. They created a team and firing set up that enabled creative minds to express themselves in a place where they knew they had technical and emotional backup when they challenged themselves.

Pains Fireworks and La Ronde crew 2007

A place where commercial pressures were left behind and the firework artist was the head of the creative tree, with sound and light and performance woven into their narrative, rather than vice versa. Martyne fought to keep this festival of fireworks viable and vibrant in times of budgetary pressure and corporate disinterest. She won through because she believed in what we do and what is possible when chemical energy, great craftsmanship, imagination and music come together.

I am sure like many others I have had the most personally rewarding experience of my life in fireworks under Martyne’s care at La Ronde and I believe it continues to be the pinnacle of international pyromusical art. Thank you Martyne for keeping the faith and protecting and invigorating an organization that continues to enable those dedicated to firework art to open their imagination to a greater audience.

Thank you mostly for caring.

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Maria Grazia Gerbaudo – Chief Sales Officer – Panzera SRL Italy

Great friend, amazing partner, enjoy your retirement but we will miss you terribly, what will we do without you?

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Paul Csukassy – Technical Director – La Ronde Canada

Testimonials – awards received

• Georg Alef – Chief Designer Weco Pyrotechnische Fabrik GMBH – Germany
  • Bronze Jupiter 1996
  • Silver Jupiter 1997
  • Gold Jupiter 2000
  • Platinum Jupiter 2004 20th edition
• Eric Tucker – various companies – USA
  • Gold Jupiter 1991 (Pyrodyne)
  • Gold Jupiter 1992 (Sunny International)
  • Gold Jupiter 1994 (PPA)
  • Gold Jupiter 1996 (PPA)
  • Gold Jupiter 1998 (PPA)
  • Gold Jupiter 1999 (PPA)
  • Special Mention 2004 20th edition
• Stephen and Rocco Vitale – Pyrotecnico – USA
  • Gold Jupiter 2008
  • Bronze Jupiter 2018
• Melanie Cagnon – various companies – Portugal
  • Silver Jupiter 2012 (Grupo Luso)
  • Gold Jupiter 2019 (Grupo Luso)
• Stephen Pelkie – Atlas Pyrovision Productions – USA
  • Gold Jupiter 2012
  • Bronze Jupiter 2019
• Michael Jones – The Pyro Studio Ltd. – UK
  • Gold Jupiter 20007 (Pains Fireworks)
• Martin Hildeberg Manager / Display Designer – Göteborgs FyrverkeriFabrik AB Sweden
  • Silver Jupiter 2010
  • Silver Jupiter 2016
• The Foti Family  - Foti’s International Fireworks – Australia
  • Silver Jupiter 2001
  • Bronze Jupiter 2006
  • Silver Jupiter 2014