"Shalom Salam: A Recipe for Peace"
Help Us Make the inspiring short film "Shalom Salam" (Which means peace in Arabic and Hebrew).
The Purpose:
To harness the power of deeply moving storytelling, fresh voices, and relatable characters to bring understanding and hope for peace in the Middle East. We aim to show that what connects us is stronger than what divides us.
The Concept:
In a world divided, two unlikely friends unite over a shared love of hummus. Their mission? To spread peace in the Middle East, one scoop at a time.
“Shalom Salam” tells the story of Or and Anwaar, two young tech entrepreneurs from opposing sides of the Middle East conflict, dedicated to bridging cultures through food, faith, AI, and technology.
Why This Film Matters
The Middle East conflict affects millions of lives and global stability. News coverage and political discourse often fail to humanize the people at the heart of the story — but storytelling has the power to create empathy and shift perspectives.
- Empathy Across Divides: Our film shows the complexity of both sides, emphasizing that no one is purely “good” or “bad.” Both sides have pain, hope, and humanity.
- Fresh Voices & Perspectives: Backers wanted a story that adds something new to the conversation — that’s exactly what we’re doing.
- Peace as a Shared Goal: Every backer can help us reach wider audiences, spark conversations, and inspire real-world impact.
ABOUT THIS CAMPAIGN
Who we are:
We are Bayou Bennett & Daniel Lir, AKA The Dream Team, award-winning filmmakers on a mission to uplift the world through cinematic, inspiring storytelling at the highest level. Over 18 years of collaboration, we have won over 80 awards and worked with an unrivaled client list, including Oscar nominees Michelle Pfeiffer, Juliette Lewis, Jane Fonda, as well as brands and artists such as Coldplay, Chrome Hearts, Lindsey Stirling, John Legend, and Norman Reedus.
We are extremely passionate to utilize our talent, resources and positive intention into our biggest social impact film yet, "Shalom Salam"
"Spending time in the Middle East, we witnessed firsthand the effects of ethnic tension, hate, and prejudice. It is our deep desire as filmmakers to share a powerful message of hope and peace."
What excites us most about this film is that its main characters use entrepreneurship, technology, Artificial Intelligence, and the power of faith to rise above human irrationality and break the chains of generational hatred.
No matter your perspective, this film will inspire hope and remind you of the possibility of peace for both the situation and humanity as a whole."
The film's unbiased approach is reflected not only in the story but also in the film’s diverse crew, which includes both Palestinians and Israelis. United by a shared commitment to peace and mutual respect, our team is dedicated to showcasing how collaboration can pave the way for a brighter tomorrow, fostering understanding and dialogue across cultural divides.
Bayou and Daniel join, Israeli Director, Yuval Hollander who is a social impact filmmaker with extensive experience as a Creative Digital Director at prestigious advertising agencies like McCann Erickson. Palestinian Director is to be determined to film the Gaza scenes. We will be ensuring an authentic, unbiased perspective. Our crew includes both Israelis and Palestinians united by a shared commitment to peace.
Where we’re from:
We are based in Los Angeles, California, and operate globally, creating films that blend cinematic visuals, social impact, and unforgettable human stories.
Our relationship to the film:
We are the writers, directors and producers of Shalom Salam: A Recipe for Peace. This project is one of the most meaningful stories we’ve ever taken on — exploring empathy, human connection, and the possibility of peace in the Middle East.
How the funds will be spent:
Every dollar raised will go directly into bringing this film to life.
$50,000 milestone:
- Cameras, lighting, locations, insurance, permits,
- first shoot days.
- Post-production — editing, sound design, music, color grading, VFX.
$100,000 milestone:
- Marketing, festival submissions, community impact campaigns, and screenings.
Special opportunities for high-level contributors:
$50,000 tier:
- Join the exciting creative process
- Learn how to make award-winning hummus
- Walk the red carpet and appear in press
- Participate in panels and podcasts
- Film opens with your name or business as “Presented By”
Your support will make it possible for Shalom Salam to reach audiences worldwide and inspire real human connection.
WHY THIS FILM MATTERS
The world is divided — socially, culturally, spiritually. Shalom Salam: A Recipe for Peace is a film that reminds us of something simple but powerful: behind every conflict are real human beings, each with a story, a family, and a heart that wants to be understood.
Why You’ll Love Supporting This Film
- Be Part of Something Bigger: Your support is about more than funding — it’s a stand for empathy, human connection, and peace.
- Exclusive Access: From early screenings to behind-the-scenes content, Q&As, and naming a background character, you’ll experience the filmmaking journey firsthand.
- Impact Beyond the Screen: The film will reach film festivals, schools, and streaming platforms — sparking conversations, education, and change.
OUR FIRST GOAL: $50,000
To begin production, we need to raise our first milestone of $50,000. This covers:
- Cameras & lighting
- Core team: cinematography, sound, art
- Insurance, permits, locations
- First shoot days
- Post-Production (Editing, original music, sound design, color enhancement)
Hitting this milestone gets us officially into production and sets the stage for our next goals.
$100,000 — Impact Campaign + Distribution
The film will reach festivals, schools, and streaming platforms — sparking conversations, education, and change.
DONOR REWARD / THANK-YOU TIERS
$25 — Friend of Peace
- Digital thank-you and your name listed on our website under
“Friends of Peace”
- Personalized graphic: “I supported SHALOM SALAM: A Film for Peace”
- A custom peace-themed digital postcard with your name
- Exclusive behind-the-scenes photo pack
$50 — Seeds of Peace
- Everything above
- Early access screening link
- Behind-the-scenes access (photos, clips, interviews)
$100 — Recipe for Peace Supporter
- Everything above
- Virtual group screening + filmmaker Q&A
- Special thanks in credits
- Digital portrait / artwork inspired by the film theme
$250 — Film Supporter
- Everything above
- Your name in the end credits under “Supporters”
- Name a background character after the supporter
- Signed digital screenplay
$500 — Peace Circle Member
- Everything above
- Invitation to a virtual Q&A with the directors
- Exclusive virtual workshop: “How we use film to create social change” + “Directing & storytelling for impact”
$1,000 — Community Builder
- Everything above
- Private virtual screening for up to 100 people + talk-back
- Be in a Zoom session with cast/crew
$2,500 — Associate Patron
- Everything above
- Private behind-the-scenes Zoom set tour during production
$5,000 — Executive Circle
- Everything above
- “Executive Circle Patron” credit in the film
$10,000 — Collector’s Patron
- Everything above
- Original Dream Team Directors T-shirt (collector’s item)
- Be tagged in social media promotion
$20,000 — On-Set Experience
- Everything above
- Come on set and play a background role in the film
- VIP experience during production
- Walk the red carpet with us at a film festival
- Appear in Press
$50,000 tier —
- Be part of the creative process,
- Learn how to make award winning hummus,
- Join us on panels,
- Walk the red carpet,
- Be included in press,
- Appear on podcasts,
- Have the film open with your name or business as “Presented By.”
PAST WORK OF THE CREATORS
Through our work, we continue to push the boundaries of cinematic storytelling, blending cinematic vision, social impact, and unforgettable human stories. "Shalom Salam" is one of the most meaningful stories we’ve ever taken on — a story about empathy and human connection that the world needs now.
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- Trailer:
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HOW YOU CAN HELP
- Donate — every contribution gets us closer to production
- Share the campaign — your voice is as powerful as your donation
- Invite friends and communities who care about unity and peace
Your support is more than financial — it’s a message that stories of hope and connection matter.