Adult Film Association of America
AFAA logo
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| Abbreviation | AFAA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1969 |
| Extinction | 1992 |
| Type | Trade association |
| Legal status | Merged with Free Speech Legal Defense Fund |
| Purpose | Advocacy for the adult film industry, opposition to censorship, presentation of erotic movie awards |
| Location | |
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Membership
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285 producers, distributors, theater owners, cable programmers, and videocassette manufacturers in the adult film business |
| Erotic Film Awards | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Excellence in erotic film |
| Sponsored by | Adult Film Association of America |
| Location | Los Angeles, California |
| Country |
 United States
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| Presented by | Adult Film Association of America |
| Hosted by | David F. Friedman |
| Reward(s) | Trophy |
| First awarded | 1977 |
| Last awarded | 1986 |
| Television/Radio coverage | |
| Network | Playboy TV |
The Adult Film Association of America (AFAA) was the first American association of pornographic film producers. It fought against censorship laws, attempted to defend the industry against prosecution for obscenity, and held an annual adult film awards ceremony. Founded in 1969, it continued separate operation until 1992 when it merged with Free Speech Legal Defense Fund. The organization was also host to the Erotic Film Awards which were held from 1977 until 1986.
It was founded in 1969 in Kansas City, with Sam Chernoff of Astro-Jemco Film Co. as the first president. Other notable presidents included film producer David F. Friedman, elected the third president in 1971, and re-elected four times before becoming Chairman of the Board, and erotic actress and magazine publisher Gloria Leonard, who became president in 1986.
It held adult film awards ceremonies for 10 years during the Golden Age of Porn. The first awards ceremony was held July 14, 1977 at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles while religious protesters picketed outside, as they would several years thereafter. "These feverish protesters are such a familiar part of the ritual, they really should be listed in the program," sex news magazine Cheri stated after the 1983 awards.
With the advent of pornography on video, in early 1986 the AFAA renamed itself Adult Film and Video Association of America (AFVAA) and added a new award category, best adult video. The 10th annual awards, held at the Sheraton Premiere Hotel in Los Angeles on June 29, 1986, were the last.
The association changed its name again in 1987 to the Adult Video Association (AVA). No awards were given for 1987. Instead, in mid-1988 they were replaced by an annual Night of the Stars dinner-dance and legal fundraiser, the fifth of which it held in June 1992 with more than 500 people in attendance, the association's biggest show ever.Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented at the Night of the Stars, however, film awards were discontinued.
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