The festival
Where there were many pilgrims in a town with candles, fireworks etc, what festival was it?
Where and when is it held? Definitely a cathloc feast of some sort, i think?
I don't think that's a specific feast, but that kind of pilgrimage that ends with a festival is called a romaria. You can see a list of the major romarias in Brazil with their corresponding dates and locations here: http://redeglobo.globo.com/acao/noticia/2013/01/confira-algumas-das-festas-religiosas-que-acontecem-no-brasil.html. You can copy their names and look them up on an image search engine or Youtube.
Most are completely Catholic but there are some that mix Catholic and other beliefs. "Festa de Iemanjá", for example, is a tribute to the sea orixá . Both people who identify themselves as members of Afro-Brazilian religions and people who call themselves just Catholic take part in such celebrations.
EDIT: Apparently the pilgrimage in the movie is a simulation of the "Our Lady of the Candles" feast, celebrated in places like Juazeiro do Norte: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_DnWudR030 . Anyway, look up "Festa de Iemanjá" and maybe a few others to see different celebrations too.
thanks very much. it is interesting to see a festival of such mixtures of beliefs and traditions.
one day, i'll be there, brazil, one day. just like the boy who won't give up....