The 29th AVN Awards ceremony, presented by Adult Video News, honored the best pornographic movies and adult entertainment products of 2011 of the United States and took place January 21, 2012, at a new venue, The Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Paradise, Nevada. Movies or products released between Oct. 1, 2010 and Sept. 30, 2011 were eligible. The ceremony was televised in the United States by Showtime. Comedian Dave Attell hosted the show for the second time. He first presided over the 27th ceremony held in 2010, and shared the 29th ceremony with co-hosts Bree Olson and Sunny Leone. The awards show was held together with the Adult Entertainment Expo and Internext at the same venue.
On January 11, 2012, AVN announced in a press release that for the first time the AVN Awards ceremony would climax with "the presentation of an all-encompassing grand accolade," Movie of the Year. "Even since the beginning, when we presented separate awards for Best Film and Best Video Feature, there's been no definitive AVN Award equivalent to Best Picture. Now we have one," said AVN senior editor Peter Warren. Rather than nominees, contenders would be chosen from the winners in the categories of: Best All-Sex Release, Best All-Sex Release – Mixed Format, Best All-Girl Release, Best Gonzo Release, Best Vignette Release, Best Comedy, Best Feature, Best Foreign Feature, Best Parody – Comedy and Best Parody – Drama. Voting for Movie of the Year would be conducted just prior to the January 21 ceremony, in a secret meeting of core members of the AVN Awards committee, to ensure winners of the 10 categories remain secret until their presentation. The event would also unveiled a new annual award, the Visionary Award, "created to recognize and honor a leader in adult entertainment who has propelled innovation and taken his company—and the business as a whole—to new heights."
The Rocki Whore Picture Show: A Hardcore Parody and Asa Akira Is Insatiable 2 won the most awards, nine and seven respectively, but the Movie of the Year award went to Portrait of a Call Girl. Portrait also won for Best Feature, Best Actress for Jessie Andrews and Best Director — Feature for Graham Travis. Rocki Whore won Best Director—Parody for Brad Armstrong, Best Screenplay—Parody for Armstrong and Hank Shenanigan and Best Parody — Comedy, among others. Insatiable 2 won Best All-Sex Release, Best Director — Non Feature for Mason and several best sex scene awards for Asa Akira and her co-stars. Individually, Akira won or shared six awards, but the coveted Female Performer of the Year and Best New Starlet awards went to Bobbi Starr and Brooklyn Lee respectively. Lee took home five awards on the night and four went to Starr. Manuel Ferrara won his fourth Male Performer of the Year award, more than anyone else in the event's 29-year history.Mark Kernes, "Joint Production", Adult Video News, Vol. 28, No. 3, March 2012, pp. 44–58.
Winners and nominees
The nominees for the 29th AVN Awards were announced on Dec. 6, 2011 in a press release. Those nominees were Gary Kirker from Las Cruces, New Mexico. The film receiving the most nominations was The Rocki Whore Picture Show: A Hardcore Parody with 18, while performer/director Bobbi Starr had the most individual nominations with 16. The winners were announced during the awards ceremony on January 21, 2012.
Major Awards The first AVN Movie of the Year Award went to Portrait of a Call Girl, which qualified for consideration by winning Best Feature. The other movies in the running were: Asa Akira Is Insatiable 2 (Best All-Sex Release), Bobbi's World (Best All-Sex Release – Mixed Format), Cherry 2 (Best All-Girl Release), Dangerous Curves (Best Gonzo Release), Prison Girls (Best Vignette Release), Grindhouse XXX (Best Comedy), Mission Asspossible (Best Foreign Feature), The Rocki Whore Picture Show: A Hardcore Parody (Best Parody – Comedy) and Spider-Man XXX: A Porn Parody (Best Parody – Drama).
Additional major awards are listed below with winner first and highlighted in boldface followed by the rest of the nominees.
Male Performer of the Year Female Performer of the Year Manuel Ferrara Mick Blue Tom Byron James Deen Erik Everhard Tommy Gunn Keiran Lee Ramón Nomar Mr. Pete Anthony Rosano Lexington Steele Evan Stone Nacho Vidal Prince Yahshua Bobbi Starr Asa Akira Lexi Belle Dana DeArmond Gracie Glam Allie Haze Jesse Jane Kagney Linn Karter Kimberly Kane Kayden Kross Lily Labeau Phoenix Marie Chanel Preston Kristina Rose Andy San Dimas Alexis Texas Best Male Newcomer Best New Starlet Xander Corvus Giovanni Francesco Ryan McLane Brendon Miller Richie Brooklyn Lee Abella Anderson Aiden Ashley Jessie Andrews Lily Carter Skin Diamond Ash Hollywood Jynx Maze Holly Michaels Selena Rose Samantha Saint Lexi Swallow Lizz Tayler Zoe Voss Best Actor Best Actress Dale DaBone - Elvis XXX: A Porn Parody James Bartholet - Saw: A Hardcore Parody Barrett Blade - Killer Bodies Tom Byron - Runaway Xander Corvus - Lost and Found Ryan Driller - Superman XXX: A Porn Parody Ben English - Official The Silence of the Lambs Parody Seth Gamble - Saturday Night Fever XXX: An Exquisite Films Parody Jack Lawrence - Anchorman: A XXX Parody Ryan McLane - Official Psycho Parody Tommy Pistol - Taxi Driver: A XXX Parody Anthony Rosano - Rocky XXX: A Parody Thriller! Randy Spears - The Orgasm Evan Stone - This Ain’t Ghostbusters XXX 3D Mac Turner - The Rocki Whore Picture Show: A Hardcore Parody Jessie Andrews - Portrait of a Call Girl Capri Anderson - Runaway Tori Black - Killer Bodies Jessica Drake - Horizon Allie Haze - Lost and Found Helly Mae Hellfire - This Ain't Lady Gaga XXX Kagney Linn Karter - Official The Silence of the Lambs Parody Kayden Kross - Love & Marriage Lily Labeau - The Incredible Hulk XXX: A Porn Parody Natasha Nice - Dear Abby Savanna Samson - Savanna Samson Is the Masseuse Andy San Dimas - Rezervoir Doggs: An Exquisite Films Parody Hillary Scott - The Flintstones: A XXX Parody Bobbi Starr - A Little Part of Me Misty Stone - Hustler's Untrue Hollywood Stories: Oprah Best Supporting Actor Best Supporting Actress Xander Corvus - Star Trek: The Next Generation - A XXX Parody Chad Alva - Lost and Found Lee Bang - Star Trek: The Next Generation - A XXX Parody Otto Bauer - Beverly Hillbillies: A XXX Parody Dick Delaware - Spider-Man XXX: A Porn Parody Tommy Gunn - Fighters Steve Holmes - Savanna Samson Is the Masseuse Alec Knight - Elvis XXX: A Porn Parody Mr. Marcus - Rocky XXX: A Parody Thriller! Rocco Reed - Horizon Anthony Rosano - The Flintstones: A XXX Parody Randy Spears - The Rocki Whore Picture Show: A Hardcore Parody Eric Swiss - Pervert Michael Vegas - Dear Abby Mark Wood - Official The Silence of the Lambs Parody Jesse Jane - Fighters Brooke Lee Adams - The Flintstones: A XXX Parody Alektra Blue - The Rocki Whore Picture Show: A Hardcore Parody Dana DeArmond - Beverly Hillbillies: A XXX Parody, Kimberly Kane - Horizon Kagney Linn Karter - Beverly Hillbillies: A XXX Parody Kayden Kross - Fighters Lily Labeau - Pervert Brooklyn Lee - Spider-Man XXX: A Porn Parody Chanel Preston - Rezervoir Doggs: An Exquisite Films Parody Ann Marie Rios - Escaladies Samantha Ryan - Pervert Bobbi Starr - Scooby Doo: A XXX Parody India Summer - Eternal Sarah Vandella - Official Psycho Parody Unsung Male Performer of the Year Unsung Starlet of the Year Johnny Castle Alex Gonz Chris Johnson L.T. Ralph Long Scott Lyons Ryan Madison Jack Napier Barry Scott Johnny Sins Kris Slater Brian Street Team Rico Strong Tim Von Swine Bridgette B. Aubrey Addams Yurizan Beltran Capri Cavanni Vicki Chase Sophie Dee Jacky Joy Victoria Lawson Jessie Lee Karlie Montana Mason Moore Rachel Roxxx Nikki Sexx Angel Vain Angelina Valentine Director of the Year Best Director - Foreign Feature Axel Braun Mike Adriano Joanna Angel Brad Armstrong Rob Black Robby D. William H. Jules Jordan Mason Lee Roy Myers Gary Orona Eddie Powell Jim Powers Mike Quasar Will Ryder - Mission Asspossible Jules Bart - All Star POV Max Bellochio - Bangkok Connection Hervé Bodilis - Mademoiselle de Paris Max Candy - My First Orgy Paul Chaplin - 'Ello 'Ello!: Lust in France Christoph Clark - Angel Perverse 18 Ted D. - Chloe's Column: Fuck Fame Justin Ribeiro & Dos Santos - Private Thoughts Gazzman - Whore House Timo Hardy - In Like Timo Jinashi - Tokyo Escalate Angels Kendo - Ink Peter Turner - Perfect Angels Best Feature Best Foreign Feature Portrait of a Call Girl Assassins Booty Shop Dear Abby Eternal Fighters Horizon Killer Bodies A Little Part of Me Lost and Found My Little Black Book Pervert Runaway Savanna Samson Is the Masseuse Teacher's Pet Mission Asspossible Bangkok Connection Chloe's Column: Fuck Fame Mademoiselle de Paris Rich Little Bitch Smuggling Sex-Pedition Best Parody - Comedy Best Parody - Drama The Rocki Whore Picture Show: A Hardcore Parody American Dad! XXX: An Exquisite Films Parody Anchorman: A XXX Parody, New Sensations Beverly Hillbillies: A XXX Parody Brazzers Presents: The Parodies Bridesmaids XXX Porn Parody Can't Be Sanford & Son Elvis XXX: A Porn Parody The Flintstones: A XXX Parody Home Improvement XXX: A Parody The Justice League of Pornstar Heroes Official The Silence of the Lambs Parody Saw: A Hardcore Parody Scream XXX: A Porn Parody This Ain’t Ghostbusters XXX 3D Spider-Man XXX: A Porn Parody The Blair Witch Project: A Hardcore Parody Captain America: An Extreme Comixxx Parody Halloween XXX Porn Parody Katwoman XXX Official Basic Instinct Parody Official Psycho Parody Rezervoir Doggs: An Exquisite Films Parody Rocky XXX: A Parody Thriller! Saturday Night Fever: An Exquisite Films Parody Star Trek: The Next Generation - A XXX Parody Superman XXX: A Porn Parody Taxi Driver: A XXX Parody This Ain't Dracula XXX 3D Top Guns Best Comedy Best 3D Release Grindhouse XXX About Jessica Babysitters 2 Big Ass Handy Women Blind Date The Flying Pink Pig Kung Fu Pussy The Masseuse 2 Nerdsworld The Orgasm Party Girls The Red Panties Stripper Diaries 2 Stripper Grams XXX Avengers This Ain't Ghostbusters XXX 3D 3D Real Pornstars of Chatsworth Killer Kurves 3-D This Ain't Conan the Barbarian XXX 3D This Ain't Dracula XXX 3D Best Gonzo Release Best Vignette Release Dangerous Curves Beach Patrol 2 Heat on the Street: Sex in Public Innocent Until Proven Filthy 9 Jerkoff Material 6 Joanna Angel and James Deen's Summer Vacation Man vs. Pussy Raw 8 Rocco's American Adventures S.O.S.: Sex on the Streets Sex Appeal Shane's World 42: Paradise Island Shut Up and Fuck Street Vendors 4 The Voyeur 37 Prison Girls All About Kagney Linn Karter Anarchy Creature Feature I Can't Believe I Fucked a Zombie Jesse Jane: Reckless Lust Bite My Favorite Emo Sluts Naughty Nanny 3 Pornstars Punishment 2 Rough Sex 3: Adrianna's Dangerous Mind Scurvy Girls 3 Secretary's Day 5 Sexy Working Girls Best All-Sex Release Best All-Sex Release, Mixed Format Asa Akira Is Insatiable 2 Alexis Texas: Nymphomaniac The Bombshells Grace Glam: Lust Harder Hard Bodies Just Jenna 2 Kagney Linn Karter Is Relentless L for London Oil Overload 4 Performers of the Year 2011 Sex Dolls Sweet Pussy Teagan Presley: The Six This Is Why I'm Hot Bobbi's World Bad Girls 5 Black & Blue Cum Glazed 2 Downtown Girls 3 Kayden Unbound Nacho Invades America Nacho Vidal vs. Live Gonzo No Panties Allowed 2 Slutty and Sluttier 13 The Victoria Rae Black Experiment What the Fuck! Big Tits, Bitches & Ass Best Interracial Release Best All-Girl Release Lex the Impaler 6 Black in My Ass Black Shack 2 Diesel Dongs 14 Heavy Metal 9 Housewives Gone Black 12 Interracial Fuck Sluts 2 Kimberly Kane's Been Blackmaled Lex the Impaler 7 Monsters of Cock 29 My Black Fantasy Once You Go Black You Never Go Back 6