BERLIN — Last Thursday, the community across the Atlantic celebrated the 2020 XBIZ Europa Awards, presented by Satisfyer, the first virtual edition of the premier celebration of the European adult industry.
The now-customary epic motion graphics sequences that have become a signature of XBIZ awards broadcasts, coupled with equally heart-rousing music, kicked off the highly anticipated show by taking the virtual audience at home on a worldwide tour of European landmarks.
This motif recurred throughout the show in one of the ceremony's most-commented-upon features: the category presentations by top luminaries of the continent as they posed for lavish night shots of monuments, castles and even Athens’ famed Acropolis, magnificently lit against the night sky.
These presenters — including iconic stars like Rocco Siffredi, Misha Cross, Dan Leal and Jordi El Niño Polla — were styled impeccably as they announced the categories, taking the virtual experience away from the now-standard world of Zoom grids and ring lights and into the most glamorous European vistas.
Anchoring the show from a cutting-edge production studio in Los Angeles, a besuited Keiran Lee — an enormously successful transatlantic figure who bridges the world of European and American adult — thrived with a hilarious monologue that also accounted for the seriousness of the pandemic time we are all living through.
“Before the show heats up,” Lee remarked, “I want to make sure we take time for something important. We’re living through a challenging moment in history. The pandemic has touched every aspect of our lives. This is our new normal. And for many of us, it’s been an adjustment.”
Addressing “our friends and colleagues watching around the globe,” Lee comforted them with the reminder, “we see you, we support you, and please know that we are here for you when you need it.”
The irrepressible Lee also found time to ad-lib playful jabs here and there, particularly at his peers Danny D and Manuel Ferrara, and at himself, in characteristic British self-deprecating fashion — especially whenever a buff cam performer was shown and Lee was reminded of his “dad bod,” which redoubled his resolution to hit the gym.
Lee’s monologue also found time to joke about the current conditions on-set during the pandemic.
“Filming in the age of COVID means having my temperature taken every few meters!” the host said. “It means that the fella holding a boom mic over my head is now wearing a face mask and a face shield and he looks like an extra from a sci-fi movie."
Lee added that enhanced safety precautions now also "means every single surface that touches bare skin is now bleached and sanitized. I might still be having sex on the kitchen counter, but that counter has never been so squeaky clean.”
The show must go on, was the gist of the routine, “but we all smell like sanitizer.”
These minor inconveniences are worth it, Lee concluded, “to make sure that our costars — and hard-working crew — stay safe.”
The first presenter was Italian superstar and producer Rocco Siffredi, beaming in from Budapest in front of a historic castle, in the first of several impressive outdoor shots that successfully highlighted the show’s scope.
Siffredi introduced the award for Best Glamcore Scene, which went to Lika Star, Sybil and Christian Clay for Vixen’s “Body Warmth.” This was the first win for the European branch of Vixen, led by Julia Grandi, who would end the evening as one of the notable winners.
Star and Christian Clay accepted their awards live from their homes, with the buxom blonde pulling her face mask below her chin to express her appreciation, and an earbud-wearing Clay raising a champagne flute to toast their win.
Siffredi changed locales to another imperial Budapest night scene to announce the nominees for Best Lesbian Sex Scene, which went to Estella Bathory, Luna Corazon and Natassia Dreams for XConfessions’ “Super Femmes.” Bathory and Dreams accepted the award, with a glitzed-out Dreams visibly moved. “To be nominated in the Lesbian category as [a] trans [performer], this is so monumental,” Dreams enthused, before thanking studio head Erika Lust.
2018 XBIZ Europa Awards Cam Model of the Year Hannah James, in a pink cocktail dress matching the lights of her her camming studio, presented the nominees for VOD Site of the Year, which went to Erotik.com
Erotik.com’s Sascha thanked the voters, his team in the Netherlands and all his content producers, before raising a glass of white wine and expressing every at-home viewer’s unspoken wish: “See you in Berlin next year!”
James returned to present the nominees for Performer Site of the Year, and Lee announced the winner as “the beautiful MariskaX.com.” Mariska herself, wearing a white military-style blazer with black lace details, thanked the voters from her home.
Gorgeous in sporty club gear, Amirah Adara beamed in from her position in front of a shimmeringly lit palace to present the nominees for Female Clip Artist of the Year. The award went to a silver-haired Eva Elfie, who thanked her fans before flashing two victory signs.
Adara also presented the Male Clip Artist of the Year award, and after looking at the nominees, Lee quipped “Jesus! Those guys put my dad bod to shame.” The winners, for the second consecutive year, were playful Scottish duo Callum & Cole, comfy in their cam room wearing matching hoodies, who thanked everyone and shared a kiss.
The most striking night shot followed, with presenter Inna Innaki appearing in front of Athen’s Acropolis, the ancient citadel and one of history’s most renowned cradles of civilization. Innaki, wearing a bronze sweater dress, presented the nominees for Innovative Sex Toy of the Year. The winner was Snail Vibe by Spiritus & Co.
Innaki then presented the Sex Toy Product of the Year (Vibrating) category, which went to Mystim’s Tickling Truman. Mystim’s Christoph Hofmann, accepting from his office, said they were “very proud” of this fourth XBIZ award for the company.
A grey-three-piece-suited Danny D was the next presenter, positioned in front of an ancient gothic building in the U.K., and introduced the nominees for “Gonzo Movie of the Year.” After teasing Danny D by calling him “the second-best-looking English bloke on the show today,” Lee read the winner: Evil Angel’s ”My Name is Zaawaadi.”
Director Rocco Siffredi accepted, with a big XBIZ logo on display behind him. Siffredi thanked “this fantastic girl, Zaawaadi,” and then dedicated the award to his cousin and collaborator Gabriele Galetta (aka Gabriel Zero), who passed away this year. “He left without saying nothing to me,” an emotional Siffredi explained, “but I know he’s always with me. Thank you, Gabby.”
Danny D then presented the nominees for Gay Performer of the Year; the title went to Swedish star Ruslan Angelo. He accepted from his couch while wearing a summery floral shirt open to the midriff; visibly stunned, Angelo called the win “very interesting” and sent “a big kiss” to his supporters.
(Later, Angelo posted an exuberant tweet filled with starry-eyed emojis and hearts and thanked his fans: "OMG, I just won the fucking XBIZ Europa Award... Best gay performer 2020... Love!")
The next presenter was Birmingham’s Jasmine Jae, who announced the nominees for Pleasure Products Company of the Year. The award went to Satisfyer, and the company’s Mira Waidelich cheered as she accepted the honor.
After a brief intermission, Keiran Lee returned holding one of the Europa trophies to celebrate the “one more special ingredient that keeps us going” during these difficult times: the fans.
“Without these lovely people, none of this would be possible,” Lee said. “From movies on-demand to clip stores, cam shows to pleasure products, and from Twitter to IG Live, you are always there for us. And we love you for it!”
The next presenter was the often U.S.-based German performer Texas Patti, resplendent in a white party dress in front of another Old Continent palace, who is spending the quarantine in her home country.
She presented Best Gonzo Sex Scene, which went to Tiffany Tatum, Zaawaadi and Vince Karter for Evil Angel’s ”My Name is Zaawaadi.” The three performers shared the screen to receive the award, with Karter thanking his co-stars and their director, Rocco Siffredi.
Texas Patti then presented the Best Sex Scene in a Feature Movie. The award went to Nicole Pearl, Pascal White and Vince Karter for Jacquie et Michel’s "Joker" parody, "Jacky.” An exuberant Karter was again in charge of thanking for his scene mates.
From another splendidly lit European landmark, Tiffany Tatum presented the nominees for Luxury Pleasure Product of the Year. The award went to We-Vibe’s Wand Massager, with the company’s Jochen Michaelis calling the award a “great honor” and a “great achievement.”
From the cold European fall, the stunning Misha Cross, in a bright-red wrap dress accented with a BDSM collar, presented the award for Best Director. The winner was Vixen’s Julia Grandi, who had one of the most memorable acceptance reactions of the evening as she was rushed by a group of cheering friends who had gathered with her to watch the broadcast, screaming and handing her flowers and drinks.
Cross then presented to award for Feature Movie of the Year, and Lee stalled the announcement of the winner to josh, once again, Danny D with mock outrage. “No, no, no — he should never win this!” Lee joked before reading the award for his mate’s “No Mercy for Mankind.”
“Thank you everyone, we love you,” said the British star who beamed in alongside noted director Dick Bush.
Another Budapest-based presenter, Dan Leal, was next at hand to introduce the nominees for “one of the most prestigious awards of the night” the 2020 XBIZ Female Cam Model of the Year. The winner was Bunny Marthy, wearing a yellow beanie, whose eyes opened up in shock from her cam room, where she was awaiting the announcement. She thanked everyone and urged them to “keep safe and healthy,” while flashing heart signs.
Dan Leal then introduced the nominees for the Male Cam Model of the Year, whose physiques prompted Lee to quip that he “needed to get back in the gym.” The very buff Tony Conrad was the winner, who blew a kiss from his home cam set-up.
The next presenter was the always-enthusiastic Jordi El Niño Polla, beaming in from Spain wearing a vest and a bowtie. The perennially youthful performer announced the nominees for Best New Starlet, with the award going to Lana Roy, who expressed her joy in her native tongue before thanking them in English.
The last awards of the evening, presented by Manuel Ferrara, were Female Performer of the Year and Male Performer of the Year, which went to Jia Lissa and Vince Karter.
Lissa had one of the most emotional reactions of the evening, which she also shot from a side camera and posted on Twitter the next day. Lissa’s joy was contagious. “It’s me? My heart is beating so much,” she said, with the emotions overpowering her speech.
And — just as in last year’s Oscars, when his performance as a realistic, moody Joker yielded an award for Joaquin Phoenix — the “Clown Prince of Crime” also proved the winning card for Vince Karter at the XBIZ 2020 Europa Awards.
Karter’s award, which he accepted with a toast at home, alongside Cherry Kiss, capped a flawless evening of virtual celebration, making the very best of the current socially distanced reality.
Click here for the complete list of 2020 XBIZ Europa Awards recipients.
