Australian production house Titantale Film is currently filming 'Tanabata: The Evening of the Seventh', a supernatural romance featuring Japanese actor Yamada Takayuki.
Three Eras, One Story
Funded entirely in Australia with Japan-based production partners, 'Tanabata' spans three historical periods: Edo-period Japan, 1865 New South Wales, and 2027 Australia. The film follows three incarnations of the same souls as they navigate a karmic cycle of love and possession. Writer-director Gillian Roberts, who also serves as executive producer, teams up with producer Sabin Gnawali for this project.
Cast and Characters
Yamada, internationally recognized for his role in Netflix's 'The Naked Director', leads the cast as Takayuki. Australian actors Amelia Zadro and Caspar Hardakar join him as Kotori and Charmerae, respectively.
Filming commenced with an initial block completed in December 2025. Production resumed in Japan on May 20, with a final block planned for October in Australia.
Thematic Exploration
'Tanabata: The Evening of the Seventh' explores the belief that our inner world reflects an outer reality across time, space, and dimension. Roberts explains that the Japanese festival Tanabata, celebrated on July 7, provides the perfect emotional and spiritual foundation for a narrative about love, memory, and connection beyond one lifetime. The film's narrative arc traverses Edo-period Japan, 1865 New South Wales, and 2027 Australia, where each lifetime's emotional imprint influences the next. Roberts aims to create a visually poetic romantic drama with a supernatural and sci-fi edge, where landscape, ancestry, and unseen forces guide the characters' journey.
'Tanabata' is a rare opportunity to build an Australia–Japan feature with genuine scale, cultural specificity, and international ambition," said Gnawali. "Yamada Takayuki brings extraordinary presence and recognition to the project, bridging Japanese audiences and the global market. I hope this project can foster more creative and commercial collaboration between Australia and Japan."
A Unique Cinematic Vision
Yamada's character, a powerful Japanese tech magnate in the contemporary storyline, discovers the modern incarnation of a woman he has loved across lifetimes. On the night of Tanabata, his obsession opens a portal that draws them back into their destined cycle.
Through 'Tanabata', Titantale Film aims to deliver a culturally rich narrative with a unique blend of romance, history, and supernatural elements, highlighting its potential to connect with both Japanese and international audiences.
Source: https://variety.com/2026/film/news/yamada-takayuki-australia-japan-romance-tanabata-1236771384/
