“Painted Faces” / 「七小福」 (1988) – ORIGINAL JAPANESE B2 THEATRICAL POSTER – HONG KONG CINEMA CLASSIC – B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) A266

This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed in 1988 for the Japanese release of Painted Faces (七小福 / Shichishōfuku), the acclaimed Hong Kong drama directed by Alex Law and produced by Mabel Cheung. A deeply moving and culturally significant film, Painted Faces dramatizes the childhood experiences of the boys trained at the China Drama Academy, among them the future stars Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, and Yuen Biao, who became famous collectively as the Seven Little Fortunes.

Film background
Released in 1988, Painted Faces is one of the most important films ever made about the formative world of Peking Opera training and its extraordinary influence on Hong Kong cinema. Set in the early 1960s, the film follows the harsh discipline, physical training, emotional hardship, and camaraderie of the children enrolled at the academy under the guidance of Master Yu Jim-yuen.

The film is especially admired for the way it balances nostalgia, hardship, discipline, and affection, portraying a now-vanished cultural world that shaped an entire generation of performers. It received major recognition, including awards at the Golden Horse Awards, the Hong Kong Film Awards, and the Chicago International Film Festival, and remains a landmark of late-1980s Hong Kong cinema.

Poster design
This Japanese B2 employs a carefully structured, highly evocative photographic layout that reflects the film’s emotional range and historical depth.

The upper section is dominated by a wide scene of the boys of the China Drama Academy training outside their traditional school building, capturing the collective discipline and regimentation of their daily life. Beneath this, a smaller inset image shows Master and pupil in a quieter, reflective moment, adding emotional contrast and reinforcing the film’s human core.

The most memorable visual element appears along the bottom: a striking lineup of seven young boys, bare-chested and presented shoulder-to-shoulder, each with vivid Peking Opera face paint applied in bold, individual designs. This is one of the poster’s greatest strengths — visually arresting, culturally specific, and immediately connected to the film’s theme of identity, performance, and apprenticeship.

The Japanese title 「七小福」 is rendered boldly in large red brush-style characters, creating a powerful focal point against the predominantly dark background. The English title “PAINTED FACES” appears in smaller lettering, while vertical Japanese text at the top and sides provides contextual copy and promotional commentary. Particularly notable is the text explaining the real-life significance of the Seven Little Fortunes, including the ages of Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, and Yuen Biao at the academy — a fascinating detail for collectors and Hong Kong cinema enthusiasts alike.

The overall result is a superb country-of-release poster: elegant, dramatic, and rich in both cultural and cinematic significance.

Collector significance
Original Japanese posters for major Hong Kong films of the 1980s are increasingly sought after, and Painted Faces is especially desirable because of its close association with the early lives of Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, and Yuen Biao. It is a particularly important piece for collectors of Hong Kong cinema, martial arts film history, Jackie Chan-related material, and posters tied to the broader history of East Asian performance culture.

Its strong visual design, award recognition, and historical subject matter give it appeal well beyond conventional film-poster collecting.

Condition
Very Good condition. Please review the photos carefully, as they show the exact poster for sale.

This poster is an original Japanese theatrical B2 from the 1988 first-release campaign.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

It is over 35 years old.

Certificate of Authenticity included.