Sylvia Kristel and Emmanuelle

Justine Barbe: week 5

In 1959, Éric Losfeld, famous French publisher of erotic literature, edited Emmanuelle. It was an underground edition. This autobiographic erotic novel would be written by Emmanuelle Arsan.

The story tells the sexual adventures of a young woman who travels toward Thailand to join her husband, a diplomat.

In seventies, when the sexual liberalization was booming in France, Just Jaeckin, director, decided to adapt the novel for the cinema. Sylvia Kristel, a Dutch actress, personified the role of Emmanuelle and became an international icon of erotic cinema. In fact, she continued to play the role of Emmanuelle and she played in other erotic movies like Lady Chatterley’s lover or Mata Hari.

Real success in France, the film was distributed worldwide, even in United-States and Japan.

However, the actress’s private life wasn’t fortunate. After a love drama, she became alcoholic, she took drugs and she lost much money.

Sylvia Kristel hadn't got a happy childhood. Her father left his family. She worked young but she became quickly a photographer’s model. After appearances in some movies, she came to fame with Emmanuelle. She played for about sixty films, for the cinema and the television. Her career was fruitful.

A lung cancer killed her the 14 October 2012. She was 60.

212 words.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/sylvia-kristel-actress-who-became-typecast-by-her-role-in-the-erotic-classic-emmanuelle-8217259.html