Caribbean resistance, forbidden seduction, and ritual danger—Papaya lures all who threaten her island.
PAPAYA: LOVE GODDESS OF THE CANNIBALS
She rules the jungle, commands the flesh, and satisfies the ultimate hunger.
A team of geologists attempt to remove a native cannibal population from an island to perform atomic research, but the cannibals' female leader disposes of them one by one by seduction.
Quick Answer
Papaya: Love Goddess of the Cannibals is a 1978 Italian adventure, horror, romance, and crime film directed by Joe D'Amato about island natives resisting a nuclear power plant, led by the seductive Papaya, whose methods ensnare outsiders in deadly rituals.
Programmer's Pick
Joe D'Amato delivers a sun-drenched slice of sexploitation where tropical heat meets political resistance. Papaya herself is both love goddess and avenging spirit—never underestimate a seductress with a cause. If your appetite runs to voodoo rites and cannibal carnality, this one doesn't hold back.
— SassyFlix Programmer
Overview
Details & Specs
- Director
- Joe D'Amato
- Writers
- Renzo Maietto, Roberto Gandus
- Release
- 1978
- Runtime
- 1h 26m
- Country
- Italy
- Language
- Italian
- Also Known As
- Et mourir... de plaisir, Love Slaves of the Caribbean, Caribbean Papaya: Love Goddess of the Cannibals, Papaya dei Caraibi (original title)
Why This Matters
This 1978 film is an example of the Italian cannibal genre, directed by Joe D'Amato and featuring Melissa Chimenti and Sirpa Lane in leading roles.
Cast & Crew
View all →Why Cult
Native islanders, led by Papaya, use sensuality to infiltrate and undermine the outsiders threatening their home.
Macumba rituals and voodoo ceremonies turn paradise into a stage for erotic and bloody folk horror.
The film revels in taboo-breaking scenes of cannibalism and explicit sexual encounters, pushing genre boundaries.
Desire, jealousy, and seduction entwine Papaya, Sara, and Vincent in an erotic web with deadly consequences.
Scene Gallery
Threat File
Construction of nuclear power plant
Islanders' secret resistance led by Papaya
Engineers seduced and murdered, ritual cannibalism
Caribbean island
Questions from the Vault
When was Papaya: Love Goddess of the Cannibals released? +
Papaya: Love Goddess of the Cannibals was released in 1978.
Who directed Papaya: Love Goddess of the Cannibals? +
Papaya: Love Goddess of the Cannibals was directed by Joe D'Amato.
How long is Papaya: Love Goddess of the Cannibals? +
Papaya: Love Goddess of the Cannibals has a runtime of 86 minutes.
What genre is Papaya: Love Goddess of the Cannibals? +
Papaya: Love Goddess of the Cannibals is an adventure, horror, romance, and crime film.