• The Fak’ugesi Festival is now in its ninth year.
• An African first, awards in videogaming, animation, XR (VR and AR), digital art and music were handed out.
• The categories acknowledged winners and rising stars.

Last week Fak’ugesi Festival 2022 took place in Johannesburg, with the Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct playing host once again, with the annual event now its its ninth iteration.

Along with highlighting technology, digital and artistic innovations from local creators and designers, the week-long event culminated with a series of awards in a number of categories, including videogaming, animation, XR (VR and AR), digital art and music.

“In the first year alone, we received an incredible response from applicants, best indicated by the quality of our nominees in each category which were selected by an esteemed jury of peers from each category,” noted Eduardo Cachucho, Fak’ugesi Festival creative director in a press release sent to Hypertext.

This year, organisers celebrated the beginning of a new era, which they term as a convergence of new technologies and African cultures under the theme of “From Now On”.

“The inaugural Fak’ugesi Awards are exactly this convergence, bringing us what only Fak’ugesi can, a generous view of criticality, cutting edge experimentation and bright new talent ready for the picking. Showing us not only what excellence is, but how to critically and creatively build a Digital Africa,” explained Dr Tegan Bristow, one of the jury members.

“Fak’ugesi allows for not only excellence in digital creativity, but more importantly a critical awakening of what digital creativity is for young Africans.” Quoting the universe travelling Maya, Bristow adds “we excited about our future”.

And the winners are…

For the different categories, the jury highlighted the most innovative or noteworthy company/creator, as well as highlighting a rising star in the field.

The winners and rising starts for the different categories are:

Videogaming
Winner: Finke Desert Race Game by Arkitech Consultancy Limited (Kenya).
Rising Star: Doba Dasha by SpaceSalad Studios (South Africa).

Animation
Winner: Super Dad by Magic Carpet Studios (Nigeria).
Rising Star: Kua by The Animation School (PTY) Ltd. (South Africa).

XR
VR Winner: The Subterranean Imprint Archive by Lo-Def Film Factory (South Africa).
AR Winner: Re/Member Your Descendants by Xabiso Vili & Sonwabo Valashiya (South Africa).

Digital Art
Graphic Digital Art Winner: UMTHWALO – Own you crown by Von Mash (South Africa).
Conceptual Digital Art Winner: Dintho by m’lk (South Africa).

Music
Cross Sector Score Winner: Halima’s Vote (Original Motion Picture soundtrack) by Rodney Abia (Nigeria).
Cross Sector Sound Art Winner: Ghana Airways by Hakeem Adam (Ghana).

[Image – Provided]