André Manoukian 4tet, Balkanes and Dafné Kritharas - Jazz sous les Pommiers 2024

At Jazz sous les Pommiers 2024, pianist André Manoukian takes the stage to honor his grandmother through a concentrated musical program. The film follows that single concert, where Manoukian and his quartet unfold arrangements that move between intimate piano lines and broader ensemble textures. Vocalist Dafné Kritharas joins the group, bringing a lyrical presence that sits somewhere between jazz phrasing and folk-inflected delivery, while the Balkanes choir adds a layered choral backdrop. The camera stays close to the performers and the small festival crowd, showing how personal memory and communal sound interact without revealing any surprises about the evening's outcome.

Directed by Laurent Hasse, the concert was filmed at the Jazz sous les Pommiers festival in 2024. It presents live performances rather than a scripted narrative, capturing the energy of the set and the collaboration among Manoukian, his 4tet, Kritharas and the Balkanes choir.

No wide theatrical box office figures have been reported. The film appears aimed at festival screenings, broadcast slots or streaming outlets that carry concert cinema, rather than a mainstream commercial run.

The film foregrounds themes of memory, family ties, and musical dialogue across traditions. It places improvisation next to written arrangements to highlight how jazz can absorb choral and Balkan influences, and it focuses on texture and atmosphere more than dramatic plot. Listeners who favor intimate concert recordings and those curious about cross-genre vocal work will find plenty to appreciate.

By pairing a noted jazz pianist with a singer rooted in Mediterranean expression and a regional choir, the project draws attention to hybrid approaches in contemporary jazz. Within festival programming it offers a model for small-scale concert films that celebrate personal storylines through shared music, and it may encourage listeners to explore the featured artists' wider recordings and collaborations.