At the final award ceremony of Houston’s Worldfest on April 29, 2006, Russian-American Business magazine presented one of the most prestigious prizes of the festival – an award for the best international motion picture. To make the precious award, the magazine worked together with the Alfa Jewelry Company from St. Petersburg, one of the best jewelry makers in Russia.

WorldFest is one of the oldest and largest film & video competitions in the world, with more than 4300 category entries received from 33 countries in 2006. The festival was started 45 years ago by an award-winning producer and director Hunter Todd to present a quality film festival for independent filmmakers. Each year, the film festival gains more and more fame the world over. Over the years, WorldFest discovered such cinema stars as Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Ang Lee, John Lee Hancock, Randall Kleiser, Ridley Scott, Robert Rodriguez, Robert Townsend, the Coen Brothers, Spike Lee, Oliver Stone, and David Lynch.

Competition within the best foreign motion picture category at WorldFest was very intense. Film makers from Japan, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Greece, Russia, Australia, the Netherlands, Argentina, as well as many other countries presented their work at the festival. In the ten days of WorldFest this year, judges saw 53 feature films and 96 shorts. The residents of Houston as well as the city’s visitors had a unique opportunity to become acquainted with independent film.  

The prize that Russian-American Business awarded truly was a unique piece of art, as it combined classic traditions and the legacy of the Faberge school with modern jewelry trends. The audience at the award dinner was dazzled when Olga Tarasova, editor-in-chief of Russian-American Business, walked onto the stage holding a precious Faberge egg. Noble blue cold enamel coating, natural lapis lazuli stones, glimmering gold alloy, and Swarovski crystals looked strikingly beautiful. The award, designed by artist Svetlana Dobrolubova and crafted by more than a dozen talented Russian jewelers from the Alfa factory, became a real pearl in the crown of World-Fest. Holding their breath, the movie directors waited impatiently for the winner’s name to be announced. Finally, the festival’s President Hunter Todd called it. The best foreign motion picture at the Houston film festival was The Horseman of Branco Ivanda from Croatia.

“I am happy to win a true work of art as my prize – this miraculous egg from St. Petersburg,” Branco told to the journalists shortly after his film had been recognized. I always admired the works of Karl Faberge. Now, thanks to Russian-American Business magazine, I will have my own Faberge piece. It’s not just a replica of what the great craftsman did in the past – it is a unique egg that St. Petersburg jewelers made especially for WorldFest.”

Branco is not new to film. He has already made five feature films and 16 films for television. His work received awards at film festivals in Berlin, Bergamo, and Puma. The Horseman is a two-hour drama about love and hatred, belief and faithlessness, good and evil. WorldFest’s Hunter Todd is certain that the number of foreign film entries at the 40th festival will be record high, in large measure thanks to the prize of Russian-American Business magazine and the St. Petersburg Jewelry Factory Alfa.