“Liza” / “Hikishio” (ひきしお), Original Release Japanese Movie Poster 1972, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) C221

This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed in 1972 for the first Japanese release of Liza — also known internationally as La Cagna and Melampo — released in Japan under the evocative title ひきしお (Hikishio / “Ebb Tide”).

A striking and unusually poetic country-of-origin poster, this Japanese design was created for the release of Marco Ferreri’s haunting French-Italian drama, starring the legendary screen pairing of Catherine Deneuve and Marcello Mastroianni.

Film background
Directed by Marco Ferreri, Liza is one of the more psychologically charged and provocative European relationship dramas of the early 1970s. Set in an isolated coastal environment, the film explores obsession, emotional dependency, erotic tension, and the strange transformations of intimacy. The pairing of Deneuve and Mastroianni gives the film much of its lasting fascination, combining cool elegance with unsettling emotional volatility.

The film is particularly noted for its unusual narrative premise and its disquieting meditation on identity, possession, and love. In Japan, the title ひきしお (“Ebb Tide”) beautifully captures the film’s melancholic, receding emotional tone.

Poster design
This Japanese B2 features a soft, sun-drenched photographic composition dominated by Catherine Deneuve seated on a bright beach in a delicate white embroidered blouse, her windswept blonde hair and lowered expression conveying the film’s mood of fragility and introspection.

In the foreground, a brown dog looks upward toward her — a crucial visual and thematic motif within the story. The overall design is understated yet highly memorable, allowing the emotional tension of the central image to speak quietly but powerfully.

The large vertical title ひきしお is printed in fluid blue hiragana down the right side, giving the poster an elegant and distinctly Japanese visual identity. On the left, the vertical copy reads like a lyrical poem, reinforcing the film’s atmosphere of longing and sadness.

At the bottom, the poster includes a smaller inset still of Deneuve and Mastroianni together, alongside the title MELAMPO and the Japanese credits block, completing a refined and unusually literary design.

Why collectors value it
Japanese first-release posters for European arthouse titles of this period are increasingly sought after, especially when they combine major international stars, strong design, and distinctive Japan-only presentation. This example is particularly appealing for collectors of Catherine Deneuve, Marcello Mastroianni, Marco Ferreri, and 1970s European cinema.

Condition
Excellent condition. Please review the photo carefully, as it shows the exact poster for sale.

This poster is an original 1972 Japanese theatrical release poster.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

It is over 50 years old.

Certificate of Authenticity included.