VANESSA BLUE, WITH MERCENARY PICTURES, MAKES HISTORY AS THE FIRST BLACK FEMALE DIRECTOR TO RECEIVE AN AVN AWARD

CANOGA PARK, Calif. — Mercenary Pictures owner Lexington Steele congratulated Vanessa Blue as the first Black female director to receive an award from AVN.

Blue, under the name Domina X, directed volumes 2, 3 and 4 of the Black Reign series, AVN’s winner for Best Ethnic-Themed Series, for Mercenary Pictures.

“Vanessa is one of the best directors and videographers shooting in the US today,” Steele said. “The mainstream adult media, which routinely ignores black women, recognized her directorial efforts and it speaks volumes as to her ability. Her having been recognized as a director is historic and makes her a pioneer for other aspiring ethnic directors.”

Blue, who is also an accomplished editor and is the Webmaster for vanessablue.com and femdomx.com, said, “I appreciate the opportunity presented to me by Mercenary Pictures to showcase ethnic women in the same way as their counterparts. I hope this encourages other companies to see us as women, and not as colors.”

Steele added that though it was Blue’s first AVN Award, it assuredly won’t her last.

“The Black Reign series strives to showcase the sexuality of women of ethnic decent,” he said. “Vanessa Blue, as Domina X, employs the highest caliber of production and videography, and places herself firmly among the best directors in the industry.”