Black Emanuelle (Italian: Emanuelle nera) is a softcore sexploitation film from 1975 directed by Bitto Albertini. This Africa set film was shot mostly in Kenya. The music was composed by Nico Fidenco. Black Emanuelle was followed by a number of sequels, all revolving around the erotic adventures of Mae Jordan (played by Laura Gemser), a globe-trotting, hedonistic investigative journalist and photographer known to her readers as "Emanuelle". Her character has been described as "a strong and independent woman, sexually proactive, at the centre of wealthy young and old white men of power, and involved in any sort of depraved set and situation." Plot Journalist and photographer Mae Jordan (Laura Gemser) publishes her work under the name Emanuelle. She accepts an assignment from a diplomatic couple in Nairobi, and starts a sexual relationship with both. Together they teach her the ways of the country and love. Cast Laura Gemser (credited as Emanuelle) as Mae "Emanuelle" Jordan Karin Schubert as Ann Danieli Angelo Infanti as Gianni Danieli Isabelle Marchall as Gloria Clifton Gabriele Tinti as Richard Clifton Don Powell as Professor Kamau Venantino Venantini as William Meredith Production Casting According to the account in his memoir, Albertini came across a picture of Gemser at a travel agency while he was shooting in Kenya. Struck by her beauty, he located her agent in Gand (Belgium). Upon travelling there and telling him that he wanted her to star in a film, the agent tried to dissuade him, pointing out that she could hardly pose for a photograph properly, let alone act. Albertini, however, insisted. In the meantime, the producer had called together Angelo Infanti, Karin Schubert and Gabriele Tinti, and they started shooting in Kenya. After a few days, Gemser loosened up and began to act. Albertini's account omits that Gemser had already appeared in two films: Amore libero - Free Love and Emmanuelle: L'antivierge. Title Black Emanuelle was made to cash in on the success of the French film Emmanuelle with Sylvia Kristel, which was released the year before. Albertini claims it was he who omitted one m in the name of the lead character, in contrast to the French Emmanuelle character. It was deliberately omitted to avoid copyright claims. Release One version of this otherwise softcore film contains brief hardcore pornographic inserts. Box office Director Albertini remembers that the film was a huge success. He states that this was also due to