Video & Web
All-Girl Performer of the Year - Female performer with the most outstanding body of work during the eligibility term involving sexual interplay strictly with other women.
Best Actor – Featurette - Most outstanding acting performance in a male role including at least one sex scene within a short-form narrative work.
Best Actress – Featurette - Most outstanding acting performance in a female role including at least one sex scene within a short-form narrative work.
Best All-Girl Group Sex Scene - Most outstanding U.S.-shot sex scene between three or more women.
Best All-Girl Production - Full-length work with a primary theme of and multiple scenes all involving sex with only women as participants.
Best All-Girl Series or Channel - Line of/multiple full productions comprised of sex scenes with only women as participants; must be released under a uniform title/subsite name and meet applicable quantity criteria.
Best Anal Production - Full-length work with a primary theme of and multiple scenes all involving male/female anal intercourse and/or double-penetration including anal.
Best Anal Series or Channel - Line of/multiple full productions comprised of scenes all involving male/female anal intercourse and/or double-penetration including anal; must be released under a uniform title/subsite name and meet applicable quantity criteria.
Best Anal Sex Scene - Most outstanding U.S.-shot sex scene between one woman and one man predominantly or strictly involving anal intercourse.
Best Anthology Production - Full-length work comprised of multiple basic sex scenes, vignettes and/or featurettes whose theme is not specified in another category.
Best Anthology Series or Channel - Line of/multiple full productions comprised of basic sex/vignette/featurette segments whose theme is not specified in another series category; must be released under a uniform title/subsite name and meet applicable quantity criteria.
Best Art Direction - Recognizes the design of a production including its sets and costumes.
Best BDSM Production - Full-length bondage or S/M themed work with multiple scenes involving humiliation, tickling, spanking, latex fetish, ballbusting, facesitting and/or other domination or submission themed sexual acts.
Best Blowbang Scene - Most outstanding sex scene typically involving one woman performing fellatio on three or more people; must strictly contain oral sex.
Best Boy/Girl Sex Scene - Most outstanding U.S.-shot sex scene between one woman and one man predominantly involving vaginal intercourse.
Best Cinematography - Most outstanding achievement in the photographic craftsmanship and overall look of a production.
Best Cultural Appeal Production - Full-length work with a primary theme of and multiple sex scenes all featuring people of one or more specified cultural group(s).
Best Cultural Appeal Series or Channel - Line of/multiple full productions comprised of sex scenes all featuring people of one or more specified cultural group(s); must be released under a uniform title/subsite name and meet applicable quantity criteria.
Best Director – Comedy - For a full-length or longer work with a strong emphasis on comedic scenarios/storytelling; casting, guidance of acting performances, eroticism of sex scenes and overall command of moviemaking all considered.
Best Director – Drama - For a feature-length or longer work with complex, full-arc dramatic storytelling as a primary element; casting, guidance of acting performances, eroticism of sex scenes and overall command of moviemaking all considered.
Best Director – Foreign Production - For a full-length or longer work of any genre shot outside the U.S.; casting, eroticism of sex scenes and overall command of moviemaking all considered.
Best Director – Gonzo/Anthology Production - For a full-length, U.S.-shot gonzo or anthology-style work without a strong emphasis on complex storytelling elements; casting, eroticism of sex scenes and overall command of moviemaking all considered.
Best Director – Web Channel/Site - For an aggregate of work on a specific website or subsite during the eligibility term; excludes directors otherwise recognized in a category acknowledging output expressly crafted in the full-length production model.
Best Double-Penetration Sex Scene - Most outstanding U.S.-shot sex scene involving one woman being simultaneously penetrated vaginally and/or anally by two men.
Best Editing - Most outstanding achievement in the craftsmanship with which a production is assembled.
Best Featurette - Short-form work with a full-arc narrative structure beyond a basic setup and sex scene.
Best Female Mixed-Age Production - Full-length work with a primary theme of and multiple scenes all involving sex with at least one older and one younger woman as participants, with or without any men.
Best Foreign Production - Feature-length or longer work distinguished as being from a non-U.S. based studio and/or entirely shot outside the U.S. (may be placed in another relevant category at AVN’s discretion).
Best Foreign-Shot All-Girl Sex Scene - Most outstanding sex scene shot outside the U.S. between two or more women.
Best Foreign-Shot Anal Sex Scene - Most outstanding sex scene shot outside the U.S. between any male/female combination of up to three performers predominantly involving anal intercourse and/or double-penetration including anal.
Best Foreign-Shot Boy/Girl Sex Scene - Most outstanding sex scene shot outside the U.S. between one woman and one man predominantly involving vaginal intercourse.
Best Foreign-Shot Group Sex Scene - Most outstanding sex scene shot outside the U.S. involving any male/female combination of three or more performers; excludes anal-centric three-way scenes.
Best Gangbang Scene - Most outstanding sex scene typically involving one woman and three or more men.
Best Girl/Girl Sex Scene - Most outstanding U.S.-shot sex scene between two women.
Best Gonzo Production - Full-length, multiple-scene work employing a documentary/POV style that conveys acknowledgement of the camera/viewer and/or the vicarious perspective of a participant; additional theme(s), if any, not specified in another category.
Best Gonzo Series or Channel - Line of/multiple full productions comprised of gonzo-style scenes whose additional theme(s), if any, are not specified in another series category; must be released under a uniform title/subsite name and meet applicable quantity criteria.
Best Group Sex Production - Full-length work with a primary theme of and multiple scenes all involving sex between male/female groupings of three or more performers.
Best Group Sex Scene - Most outstanding U.S.-shot sex scene involving any male/female grouping of four or more performers including at least two women.
Best Ingénue Production - Full-length work with a primary theme of and multiple sex scenes all featuring youthful, petite and/or unestablished female performers.
Best Ingénue Series or Channel - Line of/multiple full productions comprised of sex scenes featuring youthful, petite and/or unestablished female performers; must be released under a uniform title/subsite name and meet applicable quantity criteria.
Best Leading Actor - Most outstanding acting performance in a principal male role including at least one sex scene within a feature-length or longer narrative work.
Best Leading Actress - Most outstanding acting performance in a principal female role including at least one sex scene within a feature-length or longer narrative work.
Best Makeup - Most outstanding achievement in the use of makeup and hairstyling to enhance a production.
Best Male Newcomer - New male performer who has made the most significant impact during the eligibility term (sex, acting and marketability all considered).
Best MILF Production - Full-length work with a primary theme of and multiple sex scenes all featuring older/maternal-type women.
Best MILF/Female Mixed-Age Series or Channel - Line of/multiple full productions comprised of sex scenes featuring older women or older/younger woman pairings/groupings; must be released under a uniform title/subsite name and meet applicable quantity criteria.
Best New Foreign Starlet - New foreign-based female performer who has made the most significant impact during the eligibility term (sex, acting and marketability all considered).
Best New Production Banner - Most outstanding production company or brand/label to debut during the eligibility term.
Best New Starlet - New female performer who has made the most significant impact during the eligibility term (sex, acting and marketability all considered).
Best Niche Production - Full-length work with multiple scenes all focusing on a fetish or fetishes of any type not specified in another category (i.e. midgets, hirsutism, pregnancy, BBW, mature, etc.).
Best Niche Series or Channel - Line of/multiple full productions comprised of fetish-themed sex scenes; must be released under a uniform title/subsite name and meet applicable quantity criteria.
Best Non-Sex Performance - Most outstanding acting performance not involving any sexual component beyond nudity.
Best Oral Production - Full-length work with a primary theme of and multiple scenes all predominantly or strictly involving female/male oral sex.
Best Oral Sex Scene - Most outstanding sex scene strictly involving at least one woman performing fellatio.
Best Polyamory Production - Full-length work with a primary theme of people having permitted or encouraged sex outside a conventional relationship; encompasses those within the hotwifing, cuckolding and swinger subgenres.
Best POV Sex Scene - Most outstanding sex scene shot entirely from the point of view of one of the participants; excludes virtual reality scenes.
Best Quarantine Sex Scene - Most outstanding sex scene shot and released under quarantine conditions, with a clear indication of such, and set in the home(s) of the performer(s).
Best Sexual Barter Production - Full-length work with a primary theme of people having sex in direct exchange for something, such as money, goods, services, favors or the prospect of some sort of opportunity or reprieve.
Best Screenplay – Comedy - Most outstanding achievement in writing for a scripted comedic production.
Best Screenplay – Drama - Most outstanding achievement in writing for a scripted dramatic production.
Best Solo/Tease Performance - Most outstanding seduction and/or masturbation sequence performed by one or multiple women.
Best Soundtrack - Most outstanding achievement in the use of music to enhance a production.
Best Special Effects - Most outstanding achievement in the creation of visual effects within a production.
Best Star Showcase - Full-length production featuring one female performer in all of its sex scenes and typically incorporating her name into its title.
Best Supporting Actor - Most outstanding acting performance in a secondary male role including at least one sex scene.
Best Supporting Actress - Most outstanding acting performance in a secondary female role including at least one sex scene.
Best Taboo Relations Production - Full-length work with a primary theme of sex between “forbidden” partners such as step-siblings or in-laws.
Best Three-Way Sex Scene – B/B/G - Most outstanding U.S-shot sex scene involving one woman and two men; excludes double-penetration scenes.
Best Three-Way Sex Scene – G/G/B - Most outstanding U.S.-shot sex scene involving two women and one man.
Best Transgender Group Sex Scene - Most outstanding sex scene between three or more people including at least one transgender performer.
Best Transgender One-on-One Sex Scene - Most outstanding sex scene between a transgender performer and one other person.
Best Transgender Production - Full-length work with a primary theme of and multiple sex scenes all featuring transgender performers.
Best Transgender Series or Channel - Line of/multiple full productions comprised of sex scenes featuring transgender performers; must be released under a uniform title/subsite name and meet applicable quantity criteria.
Best Virtual Reality Sex Scene - Most outstanding sex scene produced specifically for the virtual reality format and involving any number of performers.
Clever Title of the Year - Recognizes creative, clever or outrageous titling of an adult production. Not based on quality of production.
Director of the Year - Director with the most outstanding body of work during the eligibility term prominently or primarily consisting of output expressly crafted in the full-length production model.
Female Foreign Performer of the Year - Female performer with the most outstanding body of work during the eligibility term predominantly produced outside the U.S. (sex, acting and marketability all considered).
Female Performer of the Year - Female performer with the most outstanding body of work during the eligibility term (sex, acting and marketability all considered).
Grand Reel - Feature-length or longer work employing and demonstrating extraordinary overall achievement in every facet of adult motion picture production, including eroticism, storytelling, acting, cinematography, art direction, scoring, editing, etc.
Mainstream Venture of the Year - Awarded to one or more adult performer(s) or personality(ies) for a specific mainstream movie, show or other project in which they were involved that occurred/was commercially released during the eligibility term.
Male Foreign Performer of the Year - Male performer with the most outstanding body of work during the eligibility term predominantly produced outside the U.S. (sex, acting and marketability all considered).
Male Performer of the Year - Male performer with the most outstanding body of work during the eligibility term (sex, acting and marketability all considered).
MILF Performer of the Year - Female performer with the most outstanding body of work during the eligibility term in MILF/older woman themed productions.
Most Outrageous Sex Scene - Sex scene that is creatively unique and has impact beyond normal eroticism; typically depicts something shocking or outlandish.
Niche Performer of the Year - Male or female performer with the most outstanding body of work during the eligibility term in fetish-themed productions (includes talent specializing in the genres of BBW, BDSM, mature, etc.).
Transgender Performer of the Year - Transgender performer with the most outstanding body of work during the eligibility term (sex, acting and marketability all considered).
Pleasure Products
Best Enhancement Manufacturer - Any manufacturer of edible or topical enhancement products distinguished by exceptional product design, packaging, marketing and customer service.
Best Fetish Manufacturer - Any line or range of products specifically designed for a fetish market.
Best Lingerie or Apparel Manufacturer - Any manufacturer of lingerie or other apparel products distinguished by exceptional product design, packaging, marketing and customer service.
Best Lubricant Manufacturer - Any lubricant manufacturer distinguished by exceptional product design, packaging, marketing and customer service.
Best Pleasure Product Manufacturer – Small - Any sex toy manufacturer distinguished by exceptional product design, packaging, marketing and customer service with 20 or fewer SKUs.
Best Pleasure Product Manufacturer – Medium - Any sex toy manufacturer distinguished by exceptional product design, packaging, marketing and customer service with 21-150 SKUs.
Best Pleasure Product Manufacturer – Large - Any sex toy manufacturer distinguished by exceptional product design, packaging, marketing and customer service with 151 or more SKUs.
Retail
Best Boutique - Any single brick-and-mortar store that sells DVDs and pleasure products primarily to women and couples and is distinguished by exceptional appearance, design, product mix and service.
Best Retail Chain – Small - Any chain of two to five brick-and-mortar adult retail outlets that sell DVDs, sex toys, lingerie, accessories or any combination thereof, distinguished by exceptional appearance, design, product mix and service.
Best Retail Chain – Medium - Any chain of six to 10 brick-and-mortar adult retail outlets that sell DVDs, sex toys, lingerie, accessories or any combination thereof, distinguished by exceptional appearance, design, product mix and service.
Best Retail Chain – Large - Any chain of 11 or more brick-and-mortar adult retail outlets that sell DVDs, sex toys, lingerie, accessories or any combination thereof, distinguished by exceptional appearance, design, product mix and service.
Best Web Retail Store - Any store that has only an online presence (no brick-and-mortar retail outlets) and sells DVDs, sex toys, lingerie, accessories or any combination thereof, distinguished by exceptional appearance, design, product mix and service.
