By MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Network, Reported by Chen Guanxin
Do you remember the hand-painted movie posters that used to hang above theaters when you were a child? This nostalgic sight has gradually faded from our lives with the advancement of technology such as computer animation. However, Tainan’s “Quanmei Theater,” in addition to maintaining the old-school paper tickets and simple metal chairs typical of traditional theaters—unlike the computer-printed tickets and comfortable seats found in modern multiplexes—most strikingly and evocatively features the now-rare hand-painted movie posters above its entrance. These details that stir waves of homesickness have also caught the attention of Associated Press journalists, bringing Tainan’s last remaining old-time memory into the international media spotlight.
Tainan’s Quanmei Theater has made it onto the international media stage thanks to its one-of-a-kind, hand-painted movie posters in all of Taiwan. (Image source / from the “Today’s Quanmei Theater” Facebook page)
Located on Section 2, Yongfu Road, West Central District, Tainan City, Quanmei Theater has a history of over sixty years. Even Oscar-winning director Ang Lee once wandered the theater’s porch and auditorium as a child. In addition to its memorable old building, the four hand-painted movie posters above the theater’s entrance are especially impressive.
It’s believed that when netizens were children, the large hand-painted movie posters competing for attention at theater entrances were like a small carnival market in those earlier days. But with the advancement of computer animation technology, the posters outside cinemas have gradually been replaced by elaborate digital images. Yet this trend has also allowed Tainan’s only remaining theater with hand-painted posters—Quanmei Theater—to stand out. Even foreigners feel a sense of nostalgia, leading Associated Press journalist TASSANEE VEJPONGSA to feature this sentiment of retro charm in international media.
Yan Zhenfa, the soul behind Quanmei Theater’s hand-painted movie posters. (Image source / from the “Today’s Quanmei Theater” Facebook page)
Yan Zhenfa, the creator of the hand-painted movie posters, is the guardian of these old memories. Now 61 years old, Yan is the last remaining hand-painted movie poster artist in Taiwan. His makeshift studio is right on the sidewalk in front of the theater, where he creates the very posters we see. And when it comes to painting movie posters, the most important thing, according to Yan, is “to capture and highlight each character’s features, while also paying attention to the details of proportion and scaling.”
Quanmei Theater owner Wu Juncheng stated that not following the wave of digital imagery is worthwhile—he pays Yan Zhenfa NT$20,000 a month to paint two to three posters a week. Not only is it worth it, but the oil-painted posters also convey a special atmosphere. Moreover, because Yan Zhenfa’s painting skills are truly exceptional, Wu Juncheng just can’t bear to let them go.
To ensure this craft continues to be passed down, Quanmei Theater also offers a hand-painted poster cultural and creative workshop, personally taught by Yan Zhenfa, who shares over 40 years of experience and skill in creating thousands of movie posters with participants.
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Quanmei Theater has also launched a “Hand-Painted Poster Cultural and Creative Workshop” to continue passing down this traditional craft. (Image source / from the “Today’s Quanmei Theater” Facebook page)