LOS ANGELES — New Sensations award-winning director and writer Jacky St. James is profiled by Salon.com in a piece entitled "The Woman Who Conquered Porn: How Jacky St. James Became the Most Important Name in the Business.” The article, written by Jenny Kutner, discusses St. James' rise in the adult industry, her feminist approach to erotic filmmaking, her struggles with negative stereotypes surrounding pornography, and her newest feature "The Submission of Emma Marx II."
"I was truly mesmerized by the business — just how much creative freedom existed in it," Jacky St. James told Salon. "And when, in life, especially as a woman, can you go into a job and be a production manager, a director, a writer of a piece within a few months? It’s unheard of. Most women in Hollywood work years trying to climb the ladder to do that — and I was doing it right out of the gate. So, for me, there was something really appealing about the fact that I can be successful and have a lot of creative control and be a woman."
Salon also spoke at length with St. James about her latest feature "The Submission of Emma Marx II: Boundaries," a sequel to the acclaimed 2012 New Sensations' BDSM blockbuster. An antidote to E.L. James' "Fifty Shades of Grey," "The Submission of Emma Marx II: Boundaries" tells the unflinching tale of a contractual BDSM relationship from the point of view of a strong and independent young woman still grappling to control her sexuality as it grows more deviant. Penny Pax and Richie Calhoun reprise their roles as the kinky and conflicted couple, Emma Marx and Mr. Frederick.
In the interview, St. James admits her inspiration for "The Submission of Emma Marx" and its sequel came about from her dislike of "Fifty Shades of Grey" protagonist Anastasia Steele.
"It just drove me crazy because I can’t believe that that many women in society would feel like Anastasia Steele somehow resonated with them as a character. I hated her," St. James said. "I couldn’t root for her because I thought she was pathetic. It felt kind of like an homage to those 1800s romance novels, where these women are very weak, and then the woman is attacked by a man and suddenly falls in love with him. I wanted a woman who was independent already. I thought the more fascinating and compelling storyline was a woman who was grappling with her sexuality. It was more about her struggle with that versus her struggle with wanting to be loved by someone. Obviously, she wants him to love her, but that’s not her end goal."
To read Salon.com's profile on Jacky St. James in its entirety, click here.
"The Submission of Emma Marx 2: Boundaries" co-stars include Riley Reid, Sara Luvv, Van Wylde, and Logan Pierce. It is slated for February release.
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