Faith And Branko: A Love Story Still Going Strong?

Faith and Branko are musicians who met in 2009 or 2011 in a small village in Serbia. Despite language barriers, they fell in love and got married. They have since collaborated on several albums, international tours, and an award-winning documentary. Their relationship has been tested by challenges, including Branko's health issues and the stress of relocating from Serbia to the UK. As of 2024, it appears that Faith and Branko are still together, both personally and professionally, as they continue to create and perform music as a duo.

Faith and Branko's relationship

The couple's relationship faced challenges, including visa issues and cultural differences, but their love for each other and their craft kept them together. They spent years trying to gain entry to live in the UK, dealing with the stress and difficulties of navigating two very different worlds. Branko, who had never left his village before meeting Faith, had to adjust to life in a modern, fast-paced society. Despite these challenges, their relationship and musical collaboration thrived. They released multiple albums, toured internationally, and even won awards for their contributions to Romani music.

Their unique blend of Serbian-Roma and English musical styles captivated audiences worldwide. Faith and Branko's music was described as "wild and energetic," reflecting the intense emotions of happiness and pain that the couple poured into their art. Their latest album, "Duhovi" or "Ghosts," is a testament to their deep bond and creativity, honouring deceased musicians and friends. The album explores new directions, combining their distinct musical heritages and pushing the boundaries of their instruments.

Over the years, Faith and Branko's relationship evolved and became more ambiguous, as noted by documentary filmmaker Catherine Harte, who chronicled their journey. Despite the vagueness of their romantic relationship, the couple remained close and continued to work professionally as a duo, with Harte noting that they "still love each other" even if the future of their relationship was uncertain.

Faith and Branko's story is a beautiful illustration of how music can transcend language and cultural barriers, bringing people together and creating something truly special. Their relationship, though complex and ever-evolving, has resulted in a successful musical partnership that has touched the lives of many.

Their musical collaboration

Faith and Branko's musical collaboration began in 2009 when Faith, a musician from the UK, travelled to Serbia to learn the local style of accordion playing. In a small village in the middle of Serbia, she met Branko, a fiddle player and violin teacher. Despite the language barrier, the two began making music together and fell in love. Their musical collaboration has since spanned over a decade and has taken them all over the world.

The duo combines Serbian-Roma music with influences from both of their musical heritages to create a unique and artistic sound. Their music has been described as "wild and energetic", with intense emotions and a combination of slow and painful passages with super-speed joyful bursts. Faith and Branko's music has matured over the years, progressing from a simplistic style to a more detailed, complex, and full sound as they have travelled and matured as people and players.

In addition to their individual talents, Faith and Branko are also joined by other musicians to create a dynamic ensemble. They have performed with Serbian-born guitarist Stefan Melovski and Yugoslavian-born double bass player Viktor Obsust, forming a quartet that provides the fullest and most delicate sound for their requirements. The duo has also collaborated with Iranian musician Pouya Mahmoodi, incorporating contemporary Iranian guitar improvisations into their music.

Faith and Branko have released multiple albums, including their widely acclaimed debut "Gypsy Lover", which placed in the top 10 World Music Charts. Their most recent album, "Duhovi", meaning 'ghosts', 'spirits', or 'souls', is a celebration of the deep bond of music and creativity that heals and connects them to something beyond. It also serves as a tribute to deceased musicians and friends who recorded on the album, such as Branko's uncle, Milo Ristic, whose vocals are featured on the track "Oj Moja Ruza Rumena".

Their musical journey has taken them on international tours across Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, performing at prestigious venues and festivals such as the Royal Festival Hall, the Royal Albert Hall, and Glastonbury. They have also received recognition for their contributions to Romani music, including presidential awards in Serbia and an international award-winning documentary, "Faith and Branko", which premiered at the Aljazeera Film Festival.

Their documentary

The documentary 'Faith and Branko' by Catherine Harte offers an intimate portrayal of the relationship between the two musicians. It premiered at the Sheffield Doc Fest in 2020 and has since been selected for several film festivals, including the Hot Docs/European Promotion's Changing Face of Europe programme. The film provides a unique insight into the couple's personal and professional lives, chronicling their journey over seven years.

The documentary captures the cultural differences between Faith, a middle-class English musician, and Branko, a Roma violinist from a village in West Serbia. Despite the language barrier, the two fell in love through their shared passion for music. The film follows their journey as they navigate the challenges of visa issues, cultural differences, and the stress of international fame. It also explores the impact of their relationship on their musical collaboration, with their band, Faith i Branko, achieving international success.

Harte's approach to filmmaking is noteworthy, as she embraces the cinéma vérité style, avoiding sit-down interviews or staged situations. She became closely connected to the couple, spending approximately two to three weeks with them every eight months over seven years. This closeness allowed her to capture intimate moments and portray the highs and lows of their relationship honestly. Harte's friendship with Faith and Branko enabled her to gain their trust and film even their most vulnerable moments.

The documentary has received critical acclaim and has helped to showcase the couple's music and story to a wider audience. It has premiered at prestigious film festivals and has been recognised for its exploration of cross-cultural relationships and the migration journey. 'Faith and Branko' is more than just a music documentary; it is a powerful portrayal of love, passion, and the complexities of human connection.

Their marriage

Faith and Branko's marriage is a beautiful story of two musicians from different backgrounds coming together. It all began in 2009 when Faith, a musician from England, travelled to Serbia to learn the gypsy accordion. There, she met Branko, a Roma violinist from a village in West Serbia. Despite the language barrier, the two fell in love through their shared passion for music and decided to marry.

In the following years, Faith and Branko embarked on a musical journey, forming a successful band that blended their distinct musical and cultural styles. They spent five years trying to gain entry to live in the UK, during which time they built a house near Branko's family in his Roma village. They eventually made it to England, via Vienna and the Austrian Roma music scene. Their journey as a couple and as musicians was not without challenges, including Branko's health issues and the stress of adapting to life in a new country. However, they persevered, and their love and collaboration resulted in an utterly unique and artistic musical union.

The couple's music reflects the combination of their two worlds and methods of creating music. Branko's virtuosity on the violin, which he taught himself to play under challenging circumstances, shines through in their compositions. Faith, a talented accordionist, often embellishes their pieces with the traditional English tabor pipe. Their songs are deeply personal, reflecting the joys and pains of their lives together. One such song is '2018', the year Branko's grandmother passed away. Another, 'Me Mangav Tut', was recorded by Branko for Faith during the pandemic, and two musicians who played on the track passed away soon after.

Faith and Branko's musical journey has taken them around the world, with tours in Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. They have also received critical acclaim, with their last album release charting in the Top 10 World Music albums. In addition to their musical success, they starred in an award-winning documentary, 'Faith and Branko', which premiered at the Sheffield Doc Fest in 2020 and toured film festivals worldwide. The film chronicled their relationship and provided an intimate portrayal of the challenges they faced as a couple with vastly different backgrounds.

Despite the obstacles and a relationship that became "vague and difficult to define", as described by the documentary filmmaker, Catherine Harte, Faith and Branko remain together as a successful world-touring Balkan gypsy music band. Their love story continues to captivate audiences and inspire those who hear it.

Their band

Faith and Branko's band is called Faith i Branko. The band's music has been described as "wild and energetic", with intense emotions. Their music is rooted in Serbian Roma music, specifically the traditional music of Branko's village, Gornja Grabovica. They have also incorporated elements of English folk music, with Faith playing the traditional English tabor pipe. Their music has evolved from a simplistic way of playing to a more detailed, complex and full sound as they have travelled and matured as people and musicians.

The band has released multiple albums, including "Gypsy Lover", which was placed in the top 10 of the World Music Charts, and "Duhovi", which was released in February 2023. Their music has received critical acclaim, with the Guardian describing it as "moving, breathtaking and virtuosic", and ABC Australia calling them a "duo beyond talented". They have also received presidential awards in Serbia for their outstanding cultural contribution to Romani music.

In addition to their albums, Faith i Branko have also scored an award-winning documentary about themselves, simply titled "Faith and Branko". The film premiered at Sheffield Doc Fest in 2020 and has since toured film festivals worldwide. It chronicles the couple's relationship and their journey as musicians, providing an intimate portrayal of the challenges they have faced.

As a live act, Faith i Branko have toured extensively, performing at renowned venues and festivals such as WOMAD UK, the Nisville Jazz Festival in Serbia, the Cambridge Folk Festival, and the Royal Albert Hall. They have also played in Australia, New Zealand, and across Europe. The band typically performs as a quartet, with Serbian-born guitarist Stefan Melovski and Yugoslavian-born double bass player Viktor Obsust joining Faith and Branko.

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