The Journey is the Reward: A Decade of World-Class Stories
For a decade, our journey has been about telling world-class stories. This post reflects on our international awards—from a Silver Dolphin at Cannes to a Gold Medal in New York—and how they prove our commitment to authentic, human-centered filmmaking. This award-winning legacy is the foundation of our "Smart Film" philosophy, combining art with the science of visibility.
Every film starts with a conversation. A shared vision. A trust placed in us by a partner to tell their story. For us, the journey of collaboration has always been the real reward.
But as we step into a new era for Sledgehammer Studio, we’ve been reflecting on that journey. And we realise that the international awards our films have received are more than just accolades; they are the proof that when we partner with brands to tell authentic, human stories, that work resonates on a world-class level.
Our journey has taken our stories to the most demanding global stages. In Poland, our film Chasing Lines took home not only a 1st Prize but the coveted GRAND PRIX TOURISM at FILMAT. In New York, that same film earned a Gold Medal at the New York Festivals TV & Films Awards , a benchmark for creative excellence worldwide.
This global recognition continued across Europe. Our work has been celebrated on the prestigious CIFFT Circuit , and has earned honours at the Amorgos Tourism Film Festival in Greece, the Terres Travel Festival in Spain, and the Art & Tur International Tourism Film Festival in Portugal. Our work has also been featured at Golden City Gate in Berlin, one of the world's leading tourism film festivals.
In Cannes, our film Chasing Lines was honoured with the prestigious Silver Dolphin at the Corporate Media & TV Awards.
And right here at home, at the International Tourism Film Festival Africa, we’ve been honoured with both Gold and Silver awards, a testament to our deep connection to the stories of this continent.
Each of these awards belongs as much to our partners, like Cape Town Tourism , Wesgro , and Vergelegen, as they do to us. They are a testament to a shared belief in the power of authentic storytelling.
This decade-long journey, proven on the world stage, is the foundation of everything we do. It is the proof behind the first half of our Smart Film philosophy: that we are masters of creating content that is deeply human-lovable.
And now, we've combined that art with a new science: making films that are also machine-readable.
Our award-winning past isn't a trophy case; it's our launchpad. It’s the reason we can confidently lead the charge into the future, ensuring the world's most powerful stories are also the most visible.
Here are a few of the awards our films have won:
Go All Out Cape Town: Finalist, International Tourism Film Festival Africa, Tourism Destinations, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2026. (Client: Cape Town Tourism)
Wonder2Wonder: Silver Award, International Tourism Film Festival Africa, Tourism Destinations, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2026 (Client: Cape Town Tourism and We Are Victoria Falls)
Pass the Love Cape Town: Silver Award, International Tourism Film Festival Africa, Tourism Destinations, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2025. (Client: Cape Town Tourism)
This is Rockfig Lodge Madikwe: Silver Award, International Tourism Film Festival Africa, Tourism – services, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2024. (Client: Rockfig Lodge Madikwe)
Vergelegen: Extraordinary by Nature: Gold Award, International Tourism Film Festival Africa, Tourism – services, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2024. (Client: Vergelegen Wine Estate)
Connected by Trail:
1st Prize, Sports Tourism,Amorgos Tourism Film Festival, Greece, 2019
2nd Star, International Region,The Golden City Gate Film Festival, Berlin, 2020
(Client: Wesgro)
Chasing Lines:
CIFFT Grand Prix, World’s 3rd Best Regional Destination Film, 2021 please send wreath
2nd Prize, Tourism Destinations-Regions,Amorgos Tourism Film Festival, Greece, 2021
GRAND PRIX TOURISM,FILMAT, Poland, 2021
1st prize, Promotional film of Region,FILMAT, Poland, 2021
Silver Award, Tourism Destinations - Region,International Tourism Film Festival Africa, Cape Town, South Africa, 2021
Silver Award, Tourism Destination - Regions,International Tourism Film Festival Cappadocia, Turkey 2021
Gold Medal,New York Festivals, New York, 2021
2nd Place, Blue Danube for Promotion of the Region,Silafest, Serbia, 2021
1st place, Tourism Products - Expeditions and discover, Terres Travel Festival, Spain, 2021
2nd Prize, Tourism Destinations - Region,The Golden City Gate (ITB), Berlin, 2021
Silver Dolphin,Cannes Corporate Media and Tv Awards, Cannes, 2020
(Client: Wesgro)
We are Worth Waiting for: Gold and Silver Awards,International Tourism Film Festival Africa, Cape Town, South Africa, 2021. (Client: Cape Town Tourism)
Love Cape Town the Movie: 1st Prize, Tourism Destination - City,International Tourism Film Festival Africa, Cape Town, South Africa, 2020. (Client: Cape Town Tourism)
Overberg Meander:
2nd Prize, Sports Tourism,Japan World Tourism Film Festival 2019, Osaka, Japan
2nd Prize, Sustainable Tourism,Art & Tur International Tourism Film Festival, Torres Vedra, Portugal
(Client: Wesgro)