Category Definitions - 2022 AVN Awards

Video & Web

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 Anal Movie or Limited Series - Full-length work with a primary theme of/multiple scenes all involving anal intercourse.

Best Anal Series or Channel - Line of/multiple full productions comprised of scenes all involving anal intercourse; must meet applicable scene quantity criteria.

Best Anal Sex Scene - Most outstanding U.S.-shot sex scene between one female/female-presenting performer and one male/male-presenting performer primarily or strictly involving anal intercourse.

Best Anthology Movie or Limited Series - Full-length work comprised of multiple independent scripted/narrative segments with or without any connecting device whose theme is not specified in another category.

Best Anthology Series or Channel - Line of/multiple full productions comprised of independent scripted/narrative segments whose theme is not specified in another series/channel category; must meet applicable scene quantity criteria.

Best Art Direction - Recognizes the design of a production including its sets and costumes.

Best BDSM Movie or Limited Series - 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 strictly involving the act of fellatio as typically performed by one female/female-presenting performer with three or more recipients.

Best Boy/Girl Sex Scene - Most outstanding U.S.-shot sex scene between one female/female-presenting performer and one male/male-presenting performer primarily or strictly involving vaginal intercourse.

Best Cinematography - Most outstanding achievement in the photographic craftsmanship and overall look of a production.

Best Curve Appeal Movie or Limited Series - Full-length work with a primary theme of and multiple sex scenes all featuring female/female-presenting performers with curvy/voluptuous figures.

Best Directing – Banner/Network - For an aggregate of work under a specific banner or network of banners during the eligibility term; excludes those otherwise recognized in a directing category acknowledging individual projects.

Best Directing – International Production - For a feature-length or longer work from a non-U.S. based studio, in a language other than English and/or shot entirely outside the U.S.; casting, eroticism of sex scenes and overall command of moviemaking all considered.

Best Directing – Narrative Production - For a feature-length or longer U.S-shot work with full-arc scriptwriting/storytelling as a primary element; casting, guidance of acting performances, eroticism of sex scenes and overall command of moviemaking all considered.

Best Directing – Non-Narrative Production - For a full-length, U.S.-shot gonzo or thematic work, i.e. one employing an unscripted documentary/POV style or little to no story element; casting, eroticism of sex scenes and overall command of moviemaking all considered.

Best Double-Penetration Sex Scene - Most outstanding U.S.-shot sex scene involving one female/female-presenting performer being simultaneously penetrated vaginally and/or anally by two phalluses.

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 Foursome/Orgy Sex Scene - Most outstanding U.S.-shot sex scene involving any grouping of four or more performers including at least two female/female-presenting ones. 

Best Gangbang Scene - Most outstanding sex scene typically involving one female/female-presenting performer and three or more male/male-presenting performers.

Best Girl/Girl Sex Scene - Most outstanding U.S.-shot sex scene between two female/female-presenting performers.

Best Gonzo/Compendium Movie or Limited Series - Full-length work containing multiple sex scenes and employing an unscripted documentary/POV style or little to no formal story element, with any additional overall theme not specified in another category.

Best Gonzo/Compendium Series or Channel - Line of/multiple full productions comprised of gonzo-style or non-narrative sex scenes whose additional overall theme, if any, is not specified in another series/channel category; must meet applicable scene quantity criteria.

Best Group Sex Movie or Limited Series - Full-length work with a primary theme of and multiple scenes all involving sex between groupings of three or more performers; excludes productions with a theme of anal-inclusive double-penetration scenes.

Best Ingénue Movie or Limited Series - Full-length work with a primary theme of and multiple sex scenes all featuring youthful, petite and/or unestablished female/female-presenting performers.

Best Ingénue Series or Channel - Line of/multiple full productions comprised of sex scenes featuring youthful, petite and/or unestablished female/female-presenting performers; must meet applicable scene quantity criteria.

Best International Anal Sex Scene - Most outstanding sex scene shot outside the U.S. with two-three performers—at least one female/female-presenting and one male/male-presenting—primarily involving anal intercourse and/or double-penetration including anal.

Best International Boy/Girl Sex Scene - Most outstanding sex scene shot outside the U.S. between one female/female-presenting performer and one male/male-presenting performer primarily or strictly involving vaginal intercourse.

Best International Group Sex Scene - Most outstanding sex scene shot outside the U.S. involving any combination of three or more performers (including female/female-presenting and male/male-presenting ones); excludes anal-centric three-way scenes.

Best International Lesbian Sex Scene - Most outstanding sex scene shot outside the U.S. between two or more female/female-presenting performers.

Best International Production - Feature-length or longer work distinguished as being from a non-U.S. based studio, in a language other than English and/or entirely shot outside the U.S. (may be placed in another relevant category at AVN’s discretion).

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 Lesbian Group Sex Scene - Most outstanding U.S.-shot sex scene between three or more female/female-presenting performers.

Best Lesbian Movie or Limited Series - Full-length work with a primary theme of and multiple sex scenes all strictly involving female/female-presenting performers.

Best Lesbian Series or Channel - Line of/multiple full productions comprised of sex scenes strictly involving female/female-presenting performers; must meet applicable scene quantity criteria.

Best Makeup - Most outstanding achievement in the use of makeup and hairstyling to enhance a production.

Best Male Newcomer - New male/male-presenting performer who has made the most significant impact during the eligibility term (sex, acting and marketability all considered).

Best MILF/Mixed-Age Fantasy Series or Channel - Line of/multiple full productions comprised of sex scenes featuring older or pairings/groupings of older and younger female/female-presenting performers; must meet applicable scene quantity criteria.

Best MILF Movie or Limited Series - Full-length work with a primary theme of and multiple sex scenes all featuring older/maternal-type female/female-presenting performers.

Best Mixed-Age Fantasy Movie or Limited Series - Full-length work with a primary theme of and multiple sex scenes all involving at least one older and one younger female/female-presenting performer, with or without any male/male-presenting performers.

Best New International Starlet - New foreign-based female/female-presenting 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/female-presenting performer who has made the most significant impact during the eligibility term (sex, acting and marketability all considered).

Best Niche Movie or Limited Series - Full-length work with multiple sex scenes all focusing on a fetish or special interest 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 or special interest-themed sex scenes; must meet applicable scene quantity criteria.

Best Non-Sex Performance - Most outstanding acting performance not involving any sexual component beyond nudity.

Best Oral Series or Channel - Line of/multiple full productions comprised of scenes all primarily or strictly involving fellatio; must meet applicable scene quantity criteria.

Best Oral Sex Scene - Most outstanding sex scene strictly involving fellatio as performed by at least one female/female-presenting performer typically with one to two recipients.

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 Screenplay - Most outstanding achievement in writing for a scripted/narrative production.

Best Screenplay – Featurette - Most outstanding achievement in writing for a short-form scripted/narrative production.

Best Solo/Tease Performance - Most outstanding seduction and/or masturbation sequence performed by one or more female/female-presenting performer(s).

Best Soundtrack - Most outstanding achievement in the use of music to enhance a production.

Best Star Showcase - Full-length production featuring one performer in all of its sex scenes and typically incorporating said performer’s name into its title; excludes those with a male/male-presenting performer as the titular/unifying talent.

Best Supporting Actor - Most outstanding acting performance in a secondary male role including at least one sex scene within a feature-length or longer narrative work.

Best Supporting Actress - Most outstanding acting performance in a secondary female role including at least one sex scene within a feature-length or longer narrative work.

Best Taboo Relations Movie or Limited Series - Full-length work with a primary theme/multiple scenes all portraying the fantasy of sex between “forbidden” partners such as step-siblings or in-laws.

Best Tag-Team Sex Scene - Most outstanding U.S-shot sex scene involving one female/female-presenting performer and two typically male/male-presenting performers who at no point interact with each other; excludes double-penetration scenes.

Best Thespian – Trans/X - Most outstanding acting performance in a trans role including at least one sex scene within a narrative work of any length.

Best Three-Way Sex Scene - Most outstanding U.S.-shot sex scene involving two female/female-presenting performers and one male/male-presenting performer.

Best Trans Group Sex Scene - Most outstanding sex scene between three or more performers featuring at least one trans performer.

Best Trans Movie or Limited Series - Full-length work with a primary theme of and multiple sex scenes all featuring trans performers.

Best Trans Newcomer - New trans performer who has made the most significant impact during the eligibility term (sex, acting and marketability all considered).

Best Trans One-on-One Sex Scene - Most outstanding sex scene between a trans performer and one other performer of any gender.

Best Trans Series or Channel - Line of/multiple full productions comprised of sex scenes featuring trans performers; must meet applicable scene 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 whose body of individual projects during the eligibility term made the most significant collective impact.

Female Performer of the Year - Female/female-presenting 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.

International Female Performer of the Year - Female/female-presenting performer with the most outstanding body of work during the eligibility term predominantly produced outside the U.S. (sex, acting and marketability all considered).

International Male Performer of the Year – Male/male-presenting performer with the most outstanding body of work during the eligibility term predominantly produced outside the U.S. (sex, acting and marketability all considered).

Lesbian Performer of the Year - Female/female-presenting performer with the most outstanding body of work during the eligibility term whose sex scenes involve interplay strictly with other female/female-presenting performers.

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 Performer of the Year - Male/male-presenting performer with the most outstanding body of work during the eligibility term (sex, acting and marketability all considered).

Mark Stone Award for Outstanding Comedy - Recognizes the highest achievement of the year in comedic craftsmanship within an adult production.

MILF Performer of the Year - Female/female-presenting 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 - Performer with the most outstanding body of work during the eligibility term in fetish or special interest themed productions (including but not limited to those in the genres of BDSM, BBW, mature, cuckolding, etc.).