LOS ANGELES—(May 9, 2014)— Four-time consecutive AVN Director of the Year Axel Braun, arguably the most bankable film director in the adult industry, announced today that he will no longer shoot adult movies without condoms. While Braun is already directing condom-only projects for Wicked Pictures, he will now extend that policy to his own Axel Braun Productions titles.
The director is also adding a new stipulation for adult talent who wish to appear in his movies: effective immediately he will require full-panel STD/HIV tests no older than 7 days for all ABP projects. As the industry standard testing protocol is currently 14 days, Braun will personally cover any costs incurred by performers to get tested within his required timeframe.
“The recent series of HIV outbreaks is a clear indication that something needs to be done in order to protect our talent pool and prevent this from happening again,” said Braun. “Maybe the last one hit too close to home, since patient zero was booked on my set the day he was diagnosed, or maybe my integrity is becoming more important than my bottom line, but I have finally come to believe that our system is broken, and I’m simply trying to do what I can to fix it on my end.”
Braun’s decision comes seven months after the director implemented a “21 and over” policy, raising the age limit for talent in his productions, a measure that so far hasn’t been followed by any other Adult company.
“There is is still plenty more that needs to be done, and it can’t be accomplished until the industry comes together to outline a new, comprehensive protocol. While I have been vocal against condoms in the past, I have come to realize that deep down my stance was motivated by financial gain, and that adult movies with condoms can be just as successful and arousing as the ones without them. We just have to make better movies.”
Braun’s first ABP condom-only title, I Fucked My Stepmom, is a perfect example of his resolve. Starring sexual dynamo Veronica Avluv, along with rising starlet Romi Rain, voluptuous vixen Allison Moore, Euro-hottie Jennifer Dark, and Chilean sensation Tara Holiday, I Fucked My Stepmom is an all-sex movie where the psychological aspect and the heat of each scene are absolutely exceptional, despite the use of condoms.
“Just like with the age limit, I certainly don’t expect other companies to follow my example and start using condoms or paying for talent testing” said Braun, “But it wouldn’t be fair for me to advocate performer safety and then ignore the most obviously effective STD/HIV barrier, or place the burden of additional costs on the very people I’m trying to protect.”
I Fucked My Stepmom will be available on DVD nationwide on May 14th through Wicked Pictures.
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About Axel Braun: The son of legendary porn-pioneer Lasse Braun and grandson of a diplomat, Axel Braun was born and raised in Italy, where he received a privileged upper-class upbringing. Fluent in five languages, a member of MENSA, a film-school graduate, and the bearer of a Ph.D. in psychology, Axel has a unique cultural background that sets him apart from the many other directors in the adult industry. An AVN and XRCO Hall-of-Famer, over the span of his career he has won dozens of awards all over the world for directing, producing, screenwriting, and editing, including four consecutive “Director Of The Year” AVN awards. For more information visit www.facebook.com/AxelBraun and www.twitter.com/axelbraun