The 21st AVN Awards ceremony, presented by Adult Video News (AVN), took place January 10, 2004 at the Venetian Hotel Grand Ballroom, at Paradise, Nevada, U.S. During the ceremony, AVN presented AVN Awards in 94 categories honoring the best pornographic films released between Oct. 1, 2002 and Sept. 30, 2003. The ceremony, televised in the United States by Playboy TV, was produced and directed by Gary Miller. Comedian Jim Norton hosted the show for the first time with adult film star Jenna Jameson in her third stint as co-host.
Heart of Darkness won five awards including Best Director—Film for Paul Thomas and Best Film, however, Space Nuts took home the most awards, with six. Other multiple winners included Rawhide, with five awards; Beautiful and Hard Edge with four wins apiece and Fetish: The Dream Scape and Looking In with three each.
Winners and nominees The nominees for the 21st AVN Awards were announced on December 1, 2003. Rawhide received the most nominations with 15, followed by Heart of Darkness with 14, Space Nuts and Compulsion each with 13 and Beautiful with 12.
The winners were announced during the awards ceremony on January 10, 2004. Space Nuts, a shot-on-video feature with six wins, became one of the rare movies that didn't win a best picture category; those having been won by Heart of Darkness (Best Film), Rawhide and Beautiful tying for Best Video Feature and The Fashionistas capturing Best DVD. The tie of Rawhide and Beautiful for Best Video Feature was a first for that category. AVN's voting procedure in the event of a tie is "Those voters on the AVN full-time staff who did no vote for either of the videos during the original balloting must revote." But even after that step a tie still existed, so AVN senior management decided to let the result stand.
Major awards
Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger ().
Best Film Best Video Feature Heart of Darkness Compulsion Heaven's Revenge Looking In Snakeskin Sordid Beautiful Rawhide (tie) Acid Dreams Barbara Broadcast Too! Improper Conduct Little Runaway Magic Sex New Wave Hookers 7 No Limits Not a Romance Perverted Stories The Movie Phoenix Rising 2 Riptide Stud Hunters Tricks Young Sluts Inc. 12 Best DVD Best New Starlet The Fashionistas America XXX Asia Noir 2 Barbara Broadcast Too! Hercules I Dream of Jenna Magic Sex No Limits Paradise Lost Perfect Rawhide Rush Space Nuts Sunset Stripped Stormy Ashley Blue Mary Carey Cindy Crawford Daisy Alaura Eden Jesse Jane Kaylani Lei Mercedez Ander Page Lauren Phoenix Crystal Ray Rachel Rotten Simone Bella-Marie Wolf Male Performer of the Year Female Performer of the Year Michael Stefano Jay Ashley T. T. Boy Erik Everhard Brandon Iron Julian Nick Manning Mr. Pete Randy Spears Steven St. Croix Lexington Steele Evan Stone Mark Wood Ashley Blue Sunrise Adams Belladonna Jessica Darlin Olivia Del Rio Jewel De'Nyle Bridgette Kerkove Devinn Lane Ashley Long Carmen Luvana Gina Lynn Monique Taylor Rain Savanna Samson Aurora Snow Best Actor—Film Best Actress—Film Randy Spears, Heart of Darkness Dale DaBone, Sordid Joel Lawrence, Mirror Image Kurt Lockwood, Compulsion Rafe, Snakeskin Steven St. Croix, Heaven Tony Tedeschi, So I Married a Porn Star Savanna Samson, Looking In Cassidey, Sordid Dasha, Heaven's Revenge Maya Divine, Virtual Love Ashley Long, Compulsion Best Actor—Video Best Actress—Video Evan Stone, Space Nuts Brad Armstrong, Not a Romance Barrett Blade, No Limits Tyce Bune, The Arrangement Dillon Day, Phoenix Rising 2 Eric Masterson, Perfection Herschel Savage, Roommate From Hell Dick Smothers Jr., Bad Influence Randy Spears, The Assignment Steven St. Croix, Improper Conduct Julia Ann, Beautiful Ashley Blue, Girlvert 4 Chloe, Barbara Broadcast Too! Chloe Dior, Riptide Devinn Lane, Improper Conduct Kaylani Lei, Angel X Carmen Luvana, Rawhide Ginger Lynn, Sunset Stripped AnnMarie, Babes Illustrated 13 Savanna Samson, Good Time Girl Alexandra Silk, Stud Hunters Sydnee Steele, Lost & Found Stormy, Not A Romance Sunset Thomas, Truck Stop Trixie Best Supporting Actor—Film Best Supporting Actress—Film Steven St. Croix, Looking In Mr. Bigg, Compulsion Dillon Day, Perfect Steve Hatcher, Mirror Image Eric Masterson, Virtual Love Eric Price, Sordid Dru Berrymore, Heart of Darkness Sunrise Adams, Heart of Darkness Julie Meadows, Mirror Image Ava Vincent, Heart of Darkness Best Director—Film Best Director—Video Paul Thomas, Heart of Darkness Andrew Blake, Hard Edge Axel Braun, Compulsion Michael Raven, Heaven Ruger Tyler, Snakeskin Michael Raven, Beautiful Nic Andrews, No Limits Brad Armstrong, Improper Conduct Nic Cramer, Phoenix Rising 2 Veronica Hart, Barbara Broadcast Too! Chi Chi La Rue, Woman Under Glass Cash Markman, Perfection Jonathan Morgan, Space Nuts Michael Ninn, Acid Dreams Antonio Passolini, New Wave Hookers 7 Jim Powers, Rob Rotten, Little Runaway Candida Royalle, Stud Hunters Kat Slater, Young Sluts, Inc. 12 Nicholas Steele, Rawhide Thomas Zupko, Opera Best Sex Comedy Best Gonzo Release Space Nuts Beat the Devil Carmen Goes to College 2 Don't Tell Mommy Girlvert 4 Gonza It’s Cumming La Femme Nikita Denise 2 Lost Heinie Lube Job Mary Carey Rules 2 Sex For Sale Flesh Hunter 5 Ass Cleavage Crack Her Jack Double Parked Hot Bods and Tail Pipe 28 International Tushy Jack's Playground 2 Just Over Eighteen 5 Multiple P.O.V. No Cum Dodging Allowed Runaway Butts 6 Shane's World 32: Campus Invasion Terrible Teens The Voyeur 24 World Sex Tour 27 Best Ethnic-Themed Video—Black Top Selling Title of the Year Hustlaz: Diary of a Pimp 6 Black Sticks 1 White Trick Anal Divas in Latex Black Reign 2 Booty Central 2 Chasing the Big Ones! 16 Francesca Lé Has a Negro Problem Interracial Love Stories Little White Chicks, Big Black Monster Dicks 17 Monique's Sexoholics My Baby Got Back 30 Once You Go Black... You Never Go Back! Orgy World: Brown & Round 2 Pussyman’s Black Bad Girls 14 Women of Color 4 Hustlaz: Diary of a Pimp Top Renting Title of the Year The Fashionistas Best Couples Sex Scene—Film Best Oral Sex Scene—Film Ashley Long, Kurt Lockwood, Compulsion Faith Adams, Julian, Hard Edge Sunrise Adams, Randy Spears, Heart of Darkness Crystal Carter, Randy Spears, Heart of Darkness Avy Scott, Steven St. Croix, Heaven Savanna Samson, Dale DaBone, Looking In Taylor St. Claire, Steven St. Croix, Looking In Mercedez, Tony Tedeschi, So I Married a Porn Star Cassidey, Dale DaBone, Sordid Sunrise Adams, Randy Spears, Heart of Darkness Ava Vincent, Avy Scott, Kurt Lockwood, Compulsion Dru Berrymore, Randy Spears, Heart of Darkness Mercedez, Steven French, So I Married a Porn Star Cassidey, T. J. Cummings, Sordid Best Couples Sex Scene—Video Best Oral Sex Scene—Video Belladonna, Nacho Vidal, Back 2 Evil Mercedes Ashley, Steve Holmes, Acid Dreams Cytherea, Mark Ashley, Barely Legal 40 Julia Ann, Eric Masterson, Beautiful Ryan Conner, Mark Ashley, Buttman's Bend Over Babes 6 Bella-Marie Wolf, Lexington Steele, Chasing the Big Ones 17 Simone, Nacho Vidal, Erotica XXX 3 Nicole Sheridan, Voodoo, Fetish: The Dream Scape Naudia Nyce, Michael Stefano, Fresh New Faces Natalia Wood, Manuel Ferrara, Gonzomania Ashley Moore, Jay Ashley, Mason's Dirty Trixxx 2 Obsession, Toni Ribas, Monique's Sexaholics August, Mandingo, Once You Go Black... You Never Go Back! Philly, T. T. Boy, Spanish Fly Pussy Search 9 Sabrine Maui, Jules Jordan, Trained Teens 2 Nevaeh Ashton, Felicia Fox, Benjamin Brat, Jake Malone, Chris Mountain, Tony Sexton, Tyler Wood, Heavy Handfuls 3 Belladonna, Nacho Vidal, Back 2 Evil Trinity, Friday, Jon Dough, Blow Me Sandwich 2 Simone, Nacho Vidal, Erotica XXX 3 Elizabeth, Nikke, Eye Contact 22 Sabrine Maui, Anthony Hardwood, Rick Masters, Tyler Wood, Francesca Lé’s Cum Swallowing Whores Promise, Mark Cummings, Mr. Pete, Marty Romano, Gag Factor 10 Lola, Marty Romano, Perfection Aurora Snow, Pat Myne, Jay Ashley, Pop Lezley Zen, Austin O'Riley, Brandon Iron, Brian Surewood, Throat Gaggers 3 Wendy James, Jules Jordan, Trained Teens 3 Best All-Girl Sex Scene—Video Best Three-Way Sex Scene—Video Jessica Darlin, Brandi Lyons, Lana Moore, Hollie Stevens, Flick Shagwell, Ashley Blue, Crystal Ray, The Violation of Jessica Darlin AnnMarie, Red Heaven, Ramona Luv, Babes Illustrated 13 Jewel De'Nyle, Bella-Marie Wolf, Babes in Pornland: Bubble Butt Babes Fujiko Kano, Loni, Buffy Malibu's Nasty Girls 28 Carmen Luvana, AnnMarie, Carmen Goes To College 2 Gen Padova, Felix Vicious, Double Booked Ashley Blue, Jessica Darlin, Girlvert 3 Dee, Holly Hollywood, Mia Smiles, Ice D’Angelo, Hustlaz: Diary of a Pimp Bridgette Kerkove, Devinn Lane, Improper Conduct Jenna Haze, Monique Alexander, Britney Foster, Jane Millionaire Misty Rain, Silvia Saint, Venus, Misty Rain's Worldwide Sex 9 Jenna Jameson, Carmen Luvana, My Plaything: Jenna Jameson 2 Loni, Kimmy Kahn, No Man's Land: Asian Edition 4 Kylie Wilde, Holly Hollywood, Total Exposure Aria, Shyla Stylez, When The Boyz Are Away, The Girlz Will Play 8 Jessica Darlin, Jules Jordan, Brian Pumper, Weapons of Ass Destruction 2 Brooke Ballentyne, Ben English, Steve Holmes, 2 Dicks in 1 Chick 2 Julie Night, Anna Nova, Mr. Pete, Ass Stretchers Lucy Lee, Mark Anthony, Justin Slayer, Chasing the Big Ones 16 Julie Night, Ashley Blue, Trent Tesoro, Girlvert 2 Bella-Marie Wolf, Daisy, Mark Ashley, Hot Bods & Tail Pipe 26 Alaura Eden, Rio, Steven St. Croix, International Tushy Sativa, Olivia O'Lovely, Lexington Steele, Initiations 12 Belladonna, Dee, Billy Glide, Latin Amore Leila De Santos, Manuel Ferrara, Mr. Marcus, Lingerie Fiona Cheeks, Cassie, Craig Moore, Mason's Dirty Trixxx 2 Julie Night, Manuel Ferrara, Steve Holmes, Mason's Dirty Trixxx 2 Belladonna, Tyce Bune, Joel Lawrence, New Wave Hookers 7 Kara, Ben English, Steve Hooper, Sex with Young Girls Kelli Tyler, Malaysia, T. T. Boy, The Voyeur 23
Additional Award Winners These awards were announced, but not presented, in two pre-recorded winners-only segments during the event. Trophies were given to the recipients off-stage:
Best All-Girl Feature: Babes Illustrated 13 Best All-Girl Series: No Man's Land Best All-Girl Sex Scene—Film: Dru Berrymore, Teanna Kai, Snakeskin Best All-Sex DVD: Flesh Hunter 4 Best All-Sex Film: Hard Edge Best All-Sex Video: Fetish: The Dream Scape Best Alternative Video: Interviewing Jenna Best Amateur Series: Homegrown Video Best Amateur Tape: NYC Underground: Manhattan Girls Best Anal Sex Scene—Video: Gisselle, Katsumi, Michael Stefano, Multiple P.O.V. Best Anal-Themed Feature: Ass Worship 4 Best Anal-Themed Series: Ass Worship Best Art Direction—Film: Andrew Blake, Hard Edge Best Art Direction—Video: Laurent Sky, Fetish: The Dream Scape Best Cinematography: Andrew Blake, Hard Edge Best Classic DVD: Insatiable, i-candy Entertainment Best Continuing Video Series: Girlvert Best Director, Non-Feature: Laurent Sky, Fetish: The Dream Scape Best Director, Foreign Release: Gazzman, The Scottish Loveknot Best DVD Extras: Space Nuts Best DVD Menus: Space Nuts Best DVD Packaging: Rawhide Best Editing—Film: Andrew Blake, Hard Edge Best Editing—Video: Alexander Craig, Antonio Passolini New Wave Hookers 7 Best Ethnic-Themed Series: Chasin' the Big Ones Best Ethnic-Themed Video—Asian: Asia Noir 2 Best Ethnic-Themed Video—Latin: Spanish Fly Pussy Search Best Foot Fetish Release: Barefoot Confidential 25 Best Foreign All-Sex Release: Euroglam: Nikki Blonde Best Foreign All-Sex Series: Euroglam Best Foreign Feature: The Scottish Loveknot Best Gonzo Series: Service Animals Best Group Sex Scene—Film: Dru Berrymore, AnneMarie, Taylor St. Claire, Savanna Samson, Dale DaBone, Mickey G., Steven St. Croix, Looking In