Branislav Jankic
- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Picture a boy growing up in the chaos of what used to be Yugoslavia. War wasn't just something he saw on TV; it was unfolding outside his window in the early 80's. His name? Branislav Jankic.
Life wasn't kind. When the war tore his family apart, his mother made a desperate choice-she stole him and his brother from their father and smuggled them to Germany, just as the fighting was winding down. Branislav spent his youth moving from city to city across Europe, never staying long enough to call any place "home." For refugees like him, home becomes an internal landscape, a collection of memories and losses.
Fast forward to America. The ghosts of his past didn't just disappear; they seeped into his art. Branislav's work dives into the tough stuff-addiction, fetishism, the complexities of identity. In 2015, he released Letter to My Mother, a deeply personal book and film about American mothers battling addiction and their children. It sold out and earned accolades, marking him as a powerful voice in storytelling.
Then came Flowers of My Life, a collaboration with Gian Paolo Barbieri that interwoven poetry and photography, leaving audiences with a bittersweet reflection on love and loss. By 2020, he'd created The Witch's Cauldron, an experimental feature film that juxtaposes historical narratives with mixed martial arts, winning first prize at the Sharjah Art Foundation.
Armed with an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Branislav now lives and works in New York, where he continues to share his stories. He remains dedicated to exploring the themes that shaped him, all while nurturing a deep love for his daughter and wife.
Life wasn't kind. When the war tore his family apart, his mother made a desperate choice-she stole him and his brother from their father and smuggled them to Germany, just as the fighting was winding down. Branislav spent his youth moving from city to city across Europe, never staying long enough to call any place "home." For refugees like him, home becomes an internal landscape, a collection of memories and losses.
Fast forward to America. The ghosts of his past didn't just disappear; they seeped into his art. Branislav's work dives into the tough stuff-addiction, fetishism, the complexities of identity. In 2015, he released Letter to My Mother, a deeply personal book and film about American mothers battling addiction and their children. It sold out and earned accolades, marking him as a powerful voice in storytelling.
Then came Flowers of My Life, a collaboration with Gian Paolo Barbieri that interwoven poetry and photography, leaving audiences with a bittersweet reflection on love and loss. By 2020, he'd created The Witch's Cauldron, an experimental feature film that juxtaposes historical narratives with mixed martial arts, winning first prize at the Sharjah Art Foundation.
Armed with an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Branislav now lives and works in New York, where he continues to share his stories. He remains dedicated to exploring the themes that shaped him, all while nurturing a deep love for his daughter and wife.
