Compiled by Inaara Merani Kausar Mohammed and Vico Ortiz in a scene from “The Syed Family Xmas Eve Game Night.” Credit: Courtesy of syedfamilymovie.com In 2021, a study found that out of 8965 speaking roles in films, only 1.6 percent of the characters were Muslim and only one character identified as LGBTQ+. These numbers are alarming and speak to the lack of diversity and representation in the mainstream media. However, a new short film is challenging these practices.