At the seventh international Venus Fair awards, held from October 16-19, the highlight of huge convention featuring adult entertainment, Internet and multimedia content was the Venus Fair Awards, held the first night of the show. Wicked Pictures won for Best Movie USA: Space Nuts; Best Video Series International: Balls Deep went to Anabolic; Best New Starlet Female USA: Sunrise Adams from Vivid and Best Actor USA: Lexington (Mr.35cm) Steele from local distributor VNM.
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Private proved the big winner of the night, taking home six awards, ranging from Cleopatra and Marc Anthony to their website and performers from some of their big budget movies.
The entertainment consisted of bar bands and a Randy Newman lookalike lounge singer who droned on for nearly an hour while the crowd dined on veal and vegetables. The lengthy entertainment segment took the show into the three-hour range, causing many to abandon after their favorites won awards.
The Venus Fair was divided into three massive exhibition areas at Feria Internazionale: Salon International. Two halls were devoted to booths, exhibitions, stage shows and the massive stage where the awards were held and everything from strip shows to simulated live sex were on display for consumers and members of the trade. Across a huge main entrance, which looked like Grand Central Station, was the Trader’s Centre, a trade only convention area where many Americans chose to meet and greet global customers looking for licensing deals.
Over at the main hall, Jesse Jane from Digital Playground wowed the crowds while Samantha Lewis and Joone wrote business all day, excitedly speaking about how responsive foreign buyers were to their glossy, high-end productions. “You wouldn’t think European would be interested in big budget, storyline movies but they are. Things seem to be turning around,” Joone offered.
“This show has been phenomenal for us,” Steve Drake and Alex Ladd of DVSX both offered, sharing a booth with their local contact, wowing the crowds with custom cars, hot girls and free liquor and smart drinks.
Joey Wilson and Tony from Metro were pleased their partnership deal with Playhouse and the great reception to their new line, Fusxion is turning Metro into a once sleeping giant who is wide awake and hungry for more.
At this show, the alcohol flowed freely, nudity was not only allowed, but encouraged and it wasn’t unusual to be offered a stiff drink by a naked girl who smelled of sex as the crowd reached serious overflow, turning the audience into chronic smokers due to the passion Europeans have for smoking and chain smoking.
In the Trader’s Centre, Wicked Pictures and Zero Tolerance shared a booth and both companies seemed like they were getting writer’s cramp from doing so much business. “This is an amazing show for us and points towards us becoming recognized as a gonzo company of note,” Greg Alves offered while Steve Orenstein and Wicked’s foreign sales director Steven Vlottes both exclaimed they were overjoyed with the trade response.
Anabolic and Diabolic proved a hit with the fans and the trade with their product already established as a world brand to be reckoned with and continuing to succeed in a fiercely competitive market. “We’re heading to the Ukraine from here with John Strong,” Anabolic owner Chris offered while Diabolic owner Gregg seemed pleased with the turn out and said they will definitely come back for more.
Representing Sin City were the studio's creative director Mark Snyder and general manager Scott Justice who both seemed excited about the positive responses receive for their entire
catalog of films, videos and DVD releases.
Sunrise Adams and Savanna Sampson held down the fort at the Vivid booth in the Trader’s Centre, bemoaning the lack of fans and slow business while they spent their days watching gay porn on the SEVP monitors. “I’d love to work with the big winner, Lexington Steele and even do some live shows if they’d let me, Savanna opined, adding that she’s the kind of Vivid girl that just might surprise, given the chance.
Scott Taylor of New Sensations never seemed to leave his booth, overwhelmed at the positive response received for New Sensations and Digital Sin, offering, “This is beyond my wildest dreams. I came to do business but I had no idea I would rarely be able to leave my booth—and that’s a good thing, though I’d love to see some of those live shows across the hall from the Trader’s Center.”
Tom Yofe from Caballero announced the company has enjoyed unprecedented growth this past year, proving the once giant industry company is on its way back to achieving world dominance.
The second and third nights held gala parties by Private and a Venus Fair awards party at the Adagio disco where American porn celebs like Max Hardcore held court as Czech girls flocked to see who might be able to help them secure work or visitor’s visas to come to the States and work in hardcore movies.
The show proved a huge success and attendance figures ranged around 40,000 for the four-day affair with each day boasting capacity crowds for eight to ten hour stretches. Below is a list of the European winners.
Best Erotic PC Game: Casablanca 1942 Red Fire Software /VPS
Best Erotic Stage Performance: Tammy's Erotic Show
Best Cover Germany: Fesselnde Knotenkunst Aus Fernost Orion
Best Movie: Benelux Wasteland (Bizarre Spielchen) Magmafilm
Best Movie Spain: The Fetish Garden/Private
Best Movie France: Melanie, La Jouisseuse/VMD
Best New Starlet Female Hungary: Maya Gold/Luxx Video
Best Director Hungary: Don Sigfredo/DBM
Best Actress Hungary: Michele Wild/Private
Best Director Scandinavia: Nike Beck/Tabu
Best Director France: Alan Payet/VMD
Best Director Italy: Mario Salieri
Best Gay Director International: Cadinot/Man's Best
Best Movie Scandinavia: Pink Prison
Best Gay Movie International: French Erection/ Ikarus Film
Best Actress Scandinavia: Tanya Hansen/Tabu
Best Newcomer Label Germany: Testosteron Film/No Limit Media
Best New Starlet Female Europe: Laura Angel
Best Erotic Magazine Germany: Coupe/Intermedia Content
Best Actress France: Melanie Coste/VMD
Best New Starlet Female Germany: Sharon Da Vale/Inflagranti
Best Product Campaign Germany: DVD Cash/Abo MMV
Best Movie Hungary: The Garden Of Seduction/Luxx Video
Best Movie Italy: La Dolce Vita/Mario Salieri Productions
Best B2C Website: www.Fundorado.de
Best Internet Presence: www.Pelladytower.com
Best Internet Innovation Movie: www.Beate-Uhse.com/Beate Uhse AG
100 Movies Of One Series: Happy Video/Privat Videorama
Erotic Idea 2003: Poppp-Stars/Beate Uhse
Special Internet Idea: www.Oh-Sandy.de/Medienbüro Klapproth
Special Product Award: Nature Skin Toys/Orion
Special Jury Award: Marc Anthony/Private
Special Jury Award: 6-Star/By Diana Eroglide
Special Jury Award: Video Series Pimmel Bingo/Magmafilm
Special Jury Award: www.private.com
Best Soft Movie Germany: Fesselnde Knotenkunst Aus Fernost/Orion
Best Video Series Germany: Black Hammer/VNM By VPS
Best DVD Product Germany: Triebige Swinger/Beate Uhse
Best DVD Product Europe: La Dolce Vita/Goldlight
Best Movie Germany: Die 8.Sünde/Magmafilm
Distribution Company Of The Year Germany: Orion Company Of The Year Germany: MMV
Innovation Of The Year: Dolly Buster At Vodaphone Live!
Best Director Germany: Nils Molitor/Magmafilm
Best Director Europe: Kovi/Luxx Video
Best Movie Europe: Cleopatra/Private
Best Actor Germany: Conny Dax/Magmafilm
Best Actress Germany: Denise La Bouche/MMV
Best Actor Europe: Rocco Siffredi/MMV
Best Actress Europe: Julia Taylor/Private
Special Jury Award: Dolly Buster
Special Honorary Award: Gerd Wasmund alias Mike Hunter
