‘Now More Than Ever’: The Jewish Rom-Com That’s Anything But Cute

Israeli actor and former elite soldier Yadin Gellman is teaming up once again with director Eliran Peled for their most daring project yet - Now More Than Ever, a romantic comedy co-starring American comedian and actress Amy Schumer. The film delves into the emotional and ideological rifts between Israeli and American Jews in the aftermath of war and rising global antisemitism.

Inspired by Gellman’s personal experiences, the story follows an Israeli combat soldier who is gravely wounded during a terror attack and reluctantly becomes a national symbol. As part of a hasbara (public diplomacy) mission, he travels to New York - only to be paired with a secular Jewish-American handler who wants nothing to do with Zionism, and even considers protesting his visit. What unfolds is a raw, funny, and emotionally charged journey that challenges assumptions on both sides of the Jewish divide.

The script, written by Yotam Kanisfal and Tehila Peter Dansker, brings authenticity and edge to a narrative rarely seen on screen. The film is the flagship project of Lookwood, a new content studio co-founded by Gellman and Peled to produce nuanced stories that make Jewish and Israeli themes more accessible to global audiences.

Schumer’s involvement adds star power and cultural complexity. Known for her unapologetic voice on Jewish identity and the Israeli-gaza war, she told Variety: “What’s happening in Gaza is horrifying. And yet, it’s not okay to hate someone just because they’re Jewish.” She added, “I don’t support Netanyahu’s government, neither do most Israelis I know, but that doesn’t justify antisemitism.”

Gellman, who previously starred in Image of Victory and The Victors, served in Sayeret Matkal, Israel’s most elite special forces unit. On October 7, 2023, during the Hamas massacre, he fought to evacuate civilians in Be’eri and Kfar Aza, sustaining serious injuries to his arm, chest, and shoulder. After months of recovery, he returned to acting in January 2024.

Peled, 33, is known for acclaimed films such as To Fall in Love in Rex and the hit docuseries The Unimportant. In 2023, he also launched the grassroots project BRING THEM HOME DIY, now a major initiative advocating for hostage families.

Now More Than Ever is currently in fundraising stages, with production expected to begin by late 2025. The film aims to spark dialogue, not only between characters but among Jewish communities worldwide grappling with identity, memory, and belonging.