Brimstone & Glory (2017) - full transcript

Ecstatic ritual, danger and the absolute beauty of fireworks.

WELCOME SAN JUAN DE DIOS

Every year in Tultepec
we celebrate San Juan de Dios,

our patron saint of fireworks makers.

He was a man who rescued many people
from a burning hospital

without getting a single burn on his body.

Now he watches over all fireworks makers

protecting us from the flames.

It's a carousel.

It's cool.

I think it's going to spin.

Look! A bull!



Cool!

Yes, I'm afraid of dying.

In this line of work, it's day to day.

When I was little
some teachers in school asked us

to draw what we wanted to be
when we grew up.

I drew the castles of fire.

There have been many accidents here.

We all run that risk.

Since we're not chemists,
our measurements aren't perfect.

A handful of this, a handful of that.

Gunpowder is made up of chlorate,
aluminum and sulfur.

We add granular carbon and saltpeter.

That's what makes the bombs go off.

Dad, when are we going to see the castles?



- Which ones?
- The ones on Saturday.

On Saturday? We'll go early.

- At nine.
- We'll go and see the show.

Give me six of those fuses.

And on Sunday morning,
we'll see the bulls.

- What do you say? Tons of bulls.
- We'll stay all night?

You can stick with me
SO you can jump in the fire.

But I won't go in with the "Toro Rey".
It scares me.

How can you go in with other bulls
and not with yours?

Come on!

I tell my mom
that I don't want to do this work

because it's very dangerous,

but my dad keeps encouraging me
to join the business.

I don't actually want to work in production

because if you make a mistake
or drop something,

you can cause an accident and die.

My mom was holding him
because he was driving me crazy.

He wouldn't stop crying,
didn't want to eat or do anything.

She went to stand by the window
and people were throwing fireworks.

He watched them and
suddenly got really calm.

My mom said,
"This one has gunpowder in his blood."

We've lived through all that.

And to think of something
happening to my son...

That's why I tell him he shouldn't.

Unfortunately, I'm aware
that this is what we do.

In this town, this is our job.
There's not much else.

No, I don't like it at all.

It has caused me so much pain.

My son had an accident.

A burning bull fell on him

and he passed away.

And now I see my grandson

who has loved fireworks since he was little.

Even with what happened to his uncle,
he still has it in his blood.

DANGER
HAZARDOUS MATERIAL

- Let's do a test.
- Got the fuse?

- Did you bring the lighter?
- Yes, here.

I don't like it.

We need to get...

...more titanium.

Be careful.

Slowly.

Gentle with the friction.

Are you scared?

Kind of.

Little by little.

Do it slowly.

We have to check that out.

Headquarters.

Go ahead.

Check for apparent explosion and fire
behind the Oriente Sports Center.

Reports of injuries and deaths.

Copy.

A bull needs three things:

It must be artistic.

It needs to run really fast
to chase after people.

And when the fireworks are lit
the bull itself shouldn't burn.

A bull that catches fire
is a disgrace to San Juan de Dios.

Man, it didn't work.

Two of mine caught fire.

And this time?

It got stuck.

A donation for the bull?

Any amount is fine.

Artsumex crew?

Give him a card?

- Are you almost finished?
- Almost.

- Who painted it?
- We did.

Looks great!

Are you ready?

- You're in a hurry.
- What a mess!

It needs to be ready for tomorrow!

Traditionally, there were only small bulls.

The idea was to burn the bull
as a tribute to the saint

and jump for him
so that nothing would happen to you.

Things have changed.

Bulls are bigger and more elaborate now.

I specialize in making reed frames.

I consider myself an innovator.

The first time I went in with the bulls
I was 17 years old.

I was very scared.

I didn't get really close.

I just stayed to the side.

But the next year I went right in!

It's like a process.

You grab onto the bull and run,

yelling, "Out of the way!"

The sparks burn you.

Everything that hits you burns.

When the moment comes,
it's just the bull and you.

You forget about everything.

It's just seconds, minutes.

But when the burning starts

you feel like it's an eternity.

You feel time stand still.

You see the fireworks flying everywhere.

It's magical.

Love is a wonderful thing.

We all need love.

A part of love is illusion,

longings.

Right now, what I love most is my work.

This is a celebration of the people
who first settled in Tultepec.

These are the traditions of Tultepec.

Day of the Castles of Fire

With the National Pyrotechnics Festival
we've established

a fundamental icon
in the history of our municipality.

It's part of life in Tultepec.

I'm here to tell you that we'll have
a contest of the castles of fire.

Anything can happen to me.

Damn it!

- Do you have tape?
- Yes.

Mine just fell.

Hurry up! Hurry up!

Pass it to me, man!

Tie it down!

That one! Grab that one!

Down! Down!

Why is it burning?

- That one is ruined.
- We need to get that down!

We need someone to go up there.

Put it out! Use the knife!

- Why didn't the rest burn?
- Lightning didn't strike there.

The lightning hit the top.

Don't worry, man! We'll work it out!
You gotta have balls!

I have the star, dude.

This is the National Pyrotechnics Festival

and it starts with the contest
of the castles of fire.

It's something that makes us proud.

It's a privilege for us to see pyrotechnics

shining with multi-colored lights.

Let's do this!

Let the National Pyrotechnics Festival begin!

Here in Tultepec!

Day of the Bulls

A bit further!

Here!

A donation for the bull?

Today is the day of the burning of the bulls.

It's one of the most important
days for our community.

The mission we have as police

is to protect
the physical well-being of the people

and their families.

Are we Mexican? Yes or no?

Yes!

I want to hear all Mexicans.
One, two, three!

We have to determine
how much of the body is burned.

If it's one, two, three...
It's just three percent.

If you see burns of over 30 percent,

if you consider them to be critical,

those people must be referred
to the ambulances

and taken to the hospital.

You need to treat the people
with the most severe burns first.

People who shout and drunkards go last.

- Understood?
- Yes.

Don't put yourselves at risk. Don't argue.

Don't fight.

We are Artsumex!

We are Artsumex!

Be careful!

"Toro Rey" brings the party!

Let's go to the bulls!

What do you think?

Cool, right?

How do you steer it?

Look, it has controls in there.

So you can turn left or right.

- Like a steering wheel.
- Yes, like in a car.

We wanted to put it in the back,
but we couldn't.

That's why we put it in there.

Will you go in with us?

- I don't know.
- Come on, man.

- No, no way.
- There's time, right?

- Yes.
- I'll watch it from outside for a while

- and then maybe.
- Come on, you'll be fine.

You live for this.

It's in your blood.

Water!

To hell with the firefighters!

Follow him, Santi!

Come on, move it!

Move it!

Stop, be careful!

- A firework hit you, right?
- Yes.

- Can you see with this eye?
- No.

- Nothing? The light?
- No.

Fire! Fire!

Are you alright, Santi?

Open your eye.

Hold the gauze here.

There's the speck. Did you see it?

Don't move your eye.

Try not to move it.

I'll remove it.

What's his name?

Esau Santiago.

Esau?

Last name?

- Sanchez Olvera.
- There you go.

Move your eye.

You're good, brother.

A bull is covered with fireworks
so that people don't just look at it.

It's for people to feel something
and to take something away with them.

A scar or something.

The scars on our skin are from
when the saint reaches down

to pull us from the fire.

Let us pray.

Lord, protect those who beseech thee.

Protect the weak and rekindle with your voice...

Let's give them a round of applause.

Trailers.to: Watch Full HD Movies & TV Shows
Premium Platform