Filmmaker Statement

We made The Syed Family Xmas Eve Game Night to center queer Muslim joy and family -- to normalize seeing ourselves at the heart of a holiday rom-com. The story sprang from Kausar’s real experience as the youngest sister bracing for the “what-ifs” of introducing the person she loves; the chai, the rules, the tenderness and the tests are specific on purpose, because we know specificity makes the story universal. As two queer, Muslim, Pakistani artists, our collaboration was itself the point: to bring our community’s language, humor, and rituals to the screen with love, not apology; to show acceptance as a messy practice rather than a tidy proclamation; to insist that you can’t be it unless you see it. We hope this short offers warmth, laughter, and a mirror -- an invitation to make room at the table, pour a cup, and play for keeps with the people we choose and the families who choose us back. xx Fawzia Mirza (Director) & Kausar Mohammed (Writer/Actress)