In the ephemeral world of porn productions, it’s rare to get a chance to revisit characters from past movies—and even more rare to find oneself actually having the desire to do so. But such were the memorable characters and powerful storytelling in The Submission of Emma Marx—a 2013 reverie on power and control written and co-directed by Jacky St. James for New Sensations—that this sequel rose to the top slot on AVN’s sales charts this spring.

It’s a safe bet that some sales were fueled by interest in all things BDSM sparked by the concurrent Valentine’s Day release of the mainstream movie Fifty Shades of Grey, and all bets are on that Richie Calhoun’s return as the strict Mr. Frederick pleased many female viewers. With Penny Pax in the title role and the ever-adorable Riley Reid returning as Emma’s vanilla sister, male viewers will get their money’s worth from this title as well.

In the earlier movie, Emma set out to interview a mysterious businessman who in turn peered deep into her soul and offered her a contract to become his submissive. In part two, Emma is still living and working with Mr. Frederick; he chooses her clothes, gives her daily tasks, and when she seems too close to comfort, he pushes her just beyond the boundaries mentioned in the title. First demanding that she imagine having sex with another man, soon he begins pushing to move that fantasy into real life.

St. James is the sole director here, but she benefits (as do the studio’s other directors) from the small, skilled and tight-knit crew at New Sensations: Eddie Powell, Paul Woodcrest and Gabrielle Anex ensure that the technical details are beautifully handled, leaving St. James to do what she does best: extract sensitive, thoughtful performances from the cast.