HOLLYWOOD, Calif.—This year’s XRCO Awards event will include The Axel Braun Director of the Year Award, a new body-of-work accolade named after one of the most awarded directors in triple-X history.
“Long considered one of the industry’s most respected organizations, XRCO has built its reputation on honoring excellence in adult entertainment with a strong emphasis on artistic achievement and peerless craftsmanship. The creation of The Axel Braun Director of the Year Award not only celebrates Braun’s historic accomplishments but also establishes a new benchmark for elite directing talent moving forward,” an XRCO representative said.
“Axel left his mark in the industry in a way that’s unprecedented, and most likely unsurpassable,” XRCO chairman Dirty Bob said. “His legacy of excellence and his many contributions to the world of adult entertainment made him literally a living legend, and we are thrilled to have a trophy bearing his name. Beginning this year, the award will serve as a lasting tribute to sustained directorial excellence—a distinction worthy of the filmmakers whose work rises above the pack.”
The Axel Braun Director of the Year Award will recognize the best of the best in directing—not just for a single title, but for a sustained level of excellence across an entire body of work—and will be decided from among the nominees in all the directing categories, according to the organization.
Making the moment even more significant, the AVN Hall of Famer himself will take the stage to present the inaugural award.
“This almost feels surreal,” said Braun, who last year received the first XRCO Lifetime Achievement Award. “To have my name on an award that recognizes directing at the highest level is truly an honor and a privilege, and I’m looking forward to attend the ceremony to hand out the first one.”
“For more than three decades, Braun stood at the top of the directing field, building a career defined by ambition, consistency and an unmistakable creative voice. Widely credited with elevating the cinematic standards of adult entertainment, Braun became a powerhouse brand unto himself, delivering films with scale, polish, storytelling and visual flair that helped redefine what an adult director could be,” the rep added.
The 42nd XRCO Awards will be held at Boardners in Hollywood on Sunday, May 24.
