 | |
| Founded | February 2017 |
|---|---|
| Key people | Michelle Shnaidman (CEO) |
| Industry | Sex |
| Services | |
| Subsidiaries |
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| URL | www |
| Advertising | Yes |
| Registration | Optional |
| Current status | Online |
Bellesa is a Canadian internet pornography website founded in 2017 and marketed towards women. It produces original pornographic films under the company Bellesa Films, with Jacky St. James as a director. Bellesa Boutique (BBoutique) offers sex toy products, and the website also features webcam models, pornographic fiction and other media. Under the name Bellesa Plus, they have a tiered subscription service.
The company was initially founded to host pornographic videos and other content shared by women, but after a positive profile in Bustle, it was widely criticized by sex workers for embedding content without consent from the production studios, directors or performers, and without paying them. After CEO Michelle Shnaidman apologized, the website underwent redesign. Bellesa later began working with St. James to produce films in which the pornographic actors had agency over storylines, outfits and who they would work with. They have a BIPOC Creators Program to give $20,000 per month to filming projects involving BIPOC workers. Additionally, the company produces sex toys with BuzzFeed, who promote the products on their website, and they sponsor BuzzFeed's Sex and Love section.
Bellesa Films have garnered several nominations for AVN Awards, winning one. A review of the website in The Daily Dot was mostly positive. The company's first sex toy, the Air Vibe, received mixed feedback from critics.