Sajid Varda reveals how charity UK Muslim Film helped C4’s comedy drama Screw avoid misinformed stereotypes. The seismic events of 9/11 not only affected global politics, but thrust Muslims on-screen in a drastic new way. Much to the frustration of regular ‘everyday’ Muslims, caricatures and damaging stereotypes were the order of the day, without regard for real-life implications. Having worked in film and TV since 1990, there were hardly any shows that depicted people like me. However, since 2001 there has been a dramatic rise in the number of storylines depicting Muslims as terrorists and Islam a faith to be feared, somehow out of step with the modern world. These dangerous tropes have served to embolden the less informed whose pre-existing anxieties were subsequently ‘confirmed’. The premiere of a short film I exec produced captivated audiences at the 2015 UK Jewish Film Festival, a simple comedy that brought together Jewish and Muslim characters and handled both communities in a nuanced and sensitive way. The Chop went on to win over 54 international awards, highlighting the power of storytelling that goes beyond stereotypes and reflects communities honestly and authentically. This led to my journey to establish the charity. UK Muslim Film launched in April 2020 supported by the BFI at an event which highlighted misrepresentation of Muslims and the considerable lack of Muslim talent in positions across production, namely at executive level and in writers’ rooms where the narratives are controlled. The launch received a great deal of international coverage and it was not long before we started receiving requests for help. STV Studios got in touch regarding their new drama series Screw for Channel 4. I was excited not only because we were presented with an opportunity to make a difference, but also because my first break on TV came in the Channel 4 cult comedy Teenage Health Freak. “Teaching the cast how to perform the Muslim prayer (salah) was a wonderful experience especially as we had the wider cast and crew looking on” The central storyline for this particular episode of ‘Screw’ focused on a Muslim ‘convert’ prisoner and we were pleased that this had been handled with care, with a refreshing twist to the story. We reviewed the scripts and provided our suggestions; advising on characterisation, dialogue and wardrobe. We visited the set in Glasgow to help stage the prayer scenes to ensure it looked authentic. Teaching the cast how to perform the Muslim prayer (salah) was a wonderful experience especially as we had the wider cast and crew looking on. For many this was a great learning experience. We have since been involved with a growing number of productions, all intent on broader and more accurate depictions. Why is this important? Because trite, cliched and contrived depictions of religious and cultural minorities jeopardises the integrity of your brand and undermines the veracity of your output. Shallow research evidences itself quickly, while the reputational damage remains long-term. It is imperative to showcase in-touch, meaningful and informed handling of religious and cultural themes to be taken seriously. Today, shows are sold around the world and with an addressable market of around 1.8 billion Muslims, this raises the stakes even higher. UK Muslim Film as is also a hub for the Muslim creative community with the aim of achieving broader representation of Muslims across production. Our motto is ‘Change the Script’. We hope that by working in close partnership with the screen industries, we can realise the shared ambition of media integrity, authentic engagement and a higher standard of storytelling for audiences to engage, relate and thrive through. Sajid Varda is chief exec of UK Muslim Film

UK Muslim Film aims to be a port of call for championing authentic Muslim representation in British film and television. Riz Ahmed in Sound of Metal (2020). Ahmed made history recently as the first Muslim actor to be nominated for the Academy Award for best actor. UK Muslim Film, a new charity which launched at a BFI event this week, will advise the entertainment industry on how to better represent Muslims on screen. Aiming to combat stereotypes, the charity will support, nurture and fund projects from emerging storytellers and be a port of call for authentic Muslim representation. Sajid Varda, the charity’s founder and CEO, first came to the fore on BBC’s Byker Grove, playing the show’s first Muslim character, in a groundbreaking storyline around racism. He was galvanised to change the industry after an experience making the award-winning short film The Chop (2015). “UK Muslim Film was created as a response to my many years of working within the industry both in front of and behind the camera and realising that Muslims need to be represented at all levels, in writer’s rooms and as commissioners,” Varda says. “The lack of representation also impacts the types of stories that are told, leading to more content based on negative stereotypes, which impacts Muslims adversely on a daily basis.” “There are many talented Muslim creatives from the Muslim community and from other underrepresented groups that find it hard to get a foothold into the industry. We want to change this.” “Our aim is to encourage greater understanding and engagement between the Muslim and wider community, finding what connects us, and to advise the industry on better authenticity in productions.” UK Muslim Film will be a year-round hub aimed at facilitating connections between decision-makers, creatives and crew members. It will strive to ensure not only fair hiring practices but also to pave the way for under-represented groups – with a focus on Muslim industry players – to have a ‘place at the table’ and become decision-makers, board and committee members too. The charity will host screenings, masterclasses and create a marketplace that will bring together creators and funders. Jen Smith, the BFI’s Head of Inclusion, said: “I am delighted to be supporting UK Muslim Film and for the BFI to be hosting this event. What we do in the screen industry matters. Imagery is persuasive. We are committed to supporting organisations that are helping to diversify what we see on screen and who gets to tell their stories. “By expanding our industry to be more inclusive to Muslims and exploring intersectionality within Muslim communities we get to tap into more audience growth and global markets as well as a richness of creativity.”

Launched at the BFI the UK Muslim Film Charity will call for authentic Muslim representation. UK Muslim Film will advise the entertainment industry on how to better represent Muslims on screen and support, nurture, and fund projects from emerging storytellers. The BFI event featured film and TV executives including Daragh Carville, creator, and writer of ITV’s The Bay Sajid Varda, Founder, and CEO of UK Muslim Film says: “UK Muslim Film was created as a response to my many years of working within the industry both in front of and behind the camera and realising that Muslims need to be represented at all levels, in writer’s rooms, and as commissioners… The lack of representation also impacts the types of stories that are told leading to more content based on negative stereotypes which impact Muslims adversely on a daily basis. “There are many talented Muslim creatives from the Muslim community and from other underrepresented groups that find it hard to get a foothold into the industry. We want to change this. Our aim is to encourage greater understanding and engagement between the Muslim and wider community, finding what connects us, and to advise the industry on better authenticity in productions. “We would like to thank the BFI for being at the forefront of bringing greater change within the industry and to our friends at the Riz Test for presenting their ground-breaking analysis on Muslim portrayals on-screen over the last 120 years“. Sajid Varda was the first Muslim character to appear on BBC One’s Byker Grove covering a ground-breaking storyline around racism and was galvanised to change the industry after an experience making the multi-award-winning film The Chop. “With the box office successes of Black Panther, Crazy Rich Asians and with Netflix’s Bridgerton watched by over 82 million households since Christmas, audiences are demanding diverse stories. It makes commercial sense to invest in representative characters.“ The BFI’s Head of Inclusion, Jen Smith, said: “I am delighted to be supporting UK Muslim Film and for the BFI to be hosting this event today. What we do in the screen industry matters. Imagery is persuasive. We are committed to supporting organisations that are helping to diversify what we see on screen and who gets to tell their stories“. “By expanding our industry to be more inclusive to Muslims and exploring intersectionality within Muslim communities we get to tap into more audience growth and global markets as well as a richness of creativity.”

Founded by Brit producer and actor Sajid Varda, U.K. Muslim Film aims to be a port of call for authentic Muslim representation. A new charity has launched in the U.K. with the aim of challenging Muslim stereotypes on screen. U.K. Muslim Film, which launched Wednesday at a British Film Institute event, was founded by Brit actor and producer Sajid Varda in response to what he said were years working within the industry both in front of and behind the camera and “realising that Muslims need to be represented at all levels, in writer’s rooms and as commissioners.” The charity will focus on advising the entertainment industry on how to better represent Muslims on screen, while also helping “support, nurture and fund projects” from emerging storytellers and be a port of call for authentic Muslim representation.https://86003d4f0bfc8dd3acf67a415cfc303c.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html “The lack of representation also impacts the types of stories that are told leading to more content based on negative stereotypes which impacts Muslims adversely on a daily basis,” said Varda, who is known as the first Muslim character on the long-running BBC teen drama Byker Grove, covering a groundbreaking storyline around racism. “There are many talented Muslim creatives from the Muslim community and from other underrepresented groups that find it hard to get a foothold into the industry. We want to change this.  Our aim is to encourage greater understanding and engagement between the Muslim and wider community, finding what connects us, and to advise the industry on better authenticity in productions.” Varda, who says he was galvanized to change the industry after an experience making the 2015 multi-award-winning comedy short film The Chop, pointed to the recent hits such as Black Panther, Crazy Rich Asians and with Netflix’s Bridgerton as evidence that audiences were demanding diverse stories. “It makes commercial sense to invest in representative characters,” he said, thanking both the BFI for “being at the forefront of bringing greater change within the industry” and the creators of the Riz Test, the five-point criteria test about Muslim portrayal on screen that inspired by a 2017 speech by Riz Ahmed at the House of Commons. “What we do in the screen industry matters. Imagery is persuasive,” added the BFI’s head of inclusion, Jen Smith. “We are committed to supporting organizations that are helping to diversify what we see on screen and who gets to tell their stories By expanding our industry to be more inclusive to Muslims and exploring intersectionality within Muslim communities we get to tap into more audience growth and global markets as well as a richness of creativity.”

UK Muslim Film, launched at a recent BFI event, will advise the entertainment industry on how to better represent Muslims in film and television. With the aim to challenge stereotypes, the charity will support, nurture and finance projects from emerging storytellers and be a bastion for authentic Muslim representation. Sajid Varda, the charity’s founder and CEO, first arrived on the scene on BBC’s Byker Grove, playing the series’ first Muslim character, in a groundbreaking storyline around racism. He was inspired to change the industry after an experience making the award-winning short film The Chop. “UK Muslim Film was created as a response to my many years of working within the industry both in front of and behind the camera and realising that Muslims need to be represented at all levels, in writer’s rooms and as commissioners. The lack of representation also impacts the types of stories that are told, leading to more content based on negative stereotypes, which impacts Muslims adversely on a daily basis,” Varda said. “There are many talented Muslim creatives from the Muslim community and from other underrepresented groups that find it hard to get a foothold into the industry. We want to change this. Our aim is to encourage greater understanding and engagement between the Muslim and wider community, finding what connects us, and to advise the industry on better authenticity in productions.” UK Muslim Film will be a year-round institution aimed at harbouring connections between all positions, regardless of power, in the industry. It will strive to ensure not only fair hiring practices but also to pave the way for under-represented groups – with a focus on Muslim industry players – to have a ‘place at the table’ and become decision-makers, board and committee members too. The charity will also organise screenings, masterclasses and create a marketplace that will bring together creators and financiers. Jen Smith, the BFI’s head of inclusion, said: “I am delighted to be supporting UK Muslim Film and for the BFI to be hosting this event. What we do in the screen industry matters. Imagery is persuasive. We are committed to supporting organisations that are helping to diversify what we see on screen and who gets to tell their stories. By expanding our industry to be more inclusive to Muslims and exploring intersectionality within Muslim communities we get to tap into more audience growth and global markets as well as a richness of creativity.”

UK Muslim Film aims to champion authentic representation, a move it hopes will help reduce Islamophobia. By David ChildPublished On 13 Apr 202113 Apr 2021|Updated: 14 Apr 202108:36 AM (GMT) London, United Kingdom – From Bodyguard, the British television thriller series, to the US CIA drama Homeland, the portrayal of Muslim characters on-screen has often been perceived as problematic at best. Men are cast as fringe, culturally backwards figures linked with misogyny, violence and anger. Women are depicted as oppressed victims with little to no agency. KEEP READING list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4 Palestinian short film The Present wins prestigious BAFTA award list 2 of 4 32,000km, 655 screens: Documenting India’s endangered cinemas list 3 of 4 Demon Slayer becomes Japan’s top-grossing movie list 4 of 4 Bangladesh director arrested after film shows police in bad light end of list Tired of the stereotypes, a new charity aims to change the script on representation in the entertainment industry and end the common use of anti-Muslim tropes. Launched last week, UK Muslim Film seeks to “integrate the Muslim experience into the heart of British culture” through film and television. Envisaged as a year-round hub, it will host screenings and masterclasses, among other events, and nurture emerging storytellers with a fund reserved for aspiring filmmakers of Muslim backgrounds – and other underrepresented groups – to boost their presence in the industry. Backed by the British Film Institute (BFI), the charity will also advise productions on how to better represent Muslims in cinema and avoid perpetuating offensive, negative stereotypes. ‘Faith was almost used as a weapon’ British actor Sajid Varda, its founder and CEO, told Al Jazeera he was inspired to start the project after witnessing how the entertainment industry portrayed Muslims following 9/11. “It was all very much about faith [after that],” Varda said. “The narrative was more around Muslims, Islam, and negativity … [and] faith was almost used as a weapon to create misrepresentation, with negative associations.” He hopes to help reverse those trends and “encourage greater understanding” between Muslims and other communities. “The mass media has a huge impact on informing people, that is the power of storytelling,” he said, linking the misrepresentation of Muslims to a rise in Islamophobia. “It is a very powerful educational tool, especially for people who wouldn’t normally come into contact with specific minority groups, and so it can be dangerous if the media are perpetuating common tropes such as: Muslims are terrorists, Muslim men are misogynists, Muslim women are oppressed and Islam is a threat to the West.” Varda is not the first from within the entertainment industry to voice concern over the way Muslims are presented on-screen, or whether they are at all. Oscar-nominated British actor Riz Ahmed warned during a 2017 speech to the UK Parliament that the historical and widespread failure to champion diversity in films and television programmes was alienating young British Muslims and other minorities. Ahmed, who became the first Muslim to be nominated for Best Actor by the Academy Awards this year for his performance in the Sound of Metal, said people would “switch off” from mainstream society if they did not see themselves being represented by its cultural output. “People are looking for the message that they belong, that they are part of something, that they are seen and heard and that despite, or perhaps because of their experience, they are valued,” Ahmed said. “They want to feel represented. In that task, we have failed.” ‘Muslims don’t feel included’ Taking inspiration from Ahmed’s speech, film buffs Shaf Choudry, Isobel Ingham-Barrow and Sadia Habib established the so-called “Riz Test”. If any answers to the following questions are “yes”, the film or TV show has failed the test, meaning typical Islamophobic tropes have been perpetuated, at least to some degree. Talking about, the victim of, or the perpetrator of terrorism? Presented as irrationally angry? Presented as superstitious, culturally backwards or anti-modern? Presented as a threat to a Western way of life? If the character is male, is he presented as misogynistic? If female, is she presented as oppressed by her male counterparts? According to the Riz Test’s own Twitter reviews, much of the industry still fails. Nour Halabi, a lecturer in media and communication at the UK’s University of Leeds, said negative representations of Muslims in British film and television often centre on characters associated with “terrorism” or criminality. “Representations of Muslims often also fall into the trap of oversimplifying and essentialising Muslim communities, when Muslim communities are incredibly racially, ethnically, linguistically diverse, and this is not to go into diversity in religious practice as well,” Halabi told Al Jazeera. Welcoming the intervention by UK Muslim Film, she added there was an “important role to be played by Muslims in informing how we appear in the media, and whether these representations reflect our lived experiences, and positively represent our communities”. Varda concluded that Muslims too often still “don’t feel included” in Britain’s cultural output. “We don’t feel valued or appreciated, especially when you look at content that comes out on-screen,” he said. “So our whole ethos is to change the script. We do need to address the negative stereotypes and tropes because they have a direct impact on Muslims on the street.”

It’s clear that simple “representation” isn’t enough anymore; the Muslim community deserves and demands more, says Mariam Khan. Two years ago, one of the most brutal terrorist attacks happened in New Zealand. Attacks such as this happen regularly outside of the west but this felt significant to those of us living within it, as the attacker targeted a mosque filled with worshippers. 51 people were killed, with dozens more injured, and families and the wider community left traumatised. Prime minister Jacinda Ardern reacted swiftly, she showed compassion – for which she was praised – and gun laws were changed in the country too. Fast forward to now, when our wounds are still very raw and our trauma barely processed, and a film titled They Are Us, based on the events of the Christchurch attack, has been announced. Described as an “inspirational story about the young leader’s [Ardern’s] response to the tragic events,” prompting Ardern to note that “there are plenty of stories from 15 March that could be told, but I don’t consider mine to be one of them.” YOU MAY ALSO LIKE Jacinda Ardern responds to controversial new film, calling it “very soon and very raw” The Muslim community of New Zealand has labelled the premise and perspective of the film “exploitative” and “insensitive” and a petition has been signed by almost 75,000 people. The petitioners write: “We, the undersigned, call for the following actions to ensure the film They Are Us does not go ahead, as it sidelines the victims and survivors and instead centres the response of a white woman.” Responding to the backlash, Dr HA Hellyer, a fellow at the University of Cambridge, tells me: “If we compare how Muslims are portrayed in English-language entertainment media – British, American, Australian and New Zealand television – the situation has certainly improved over the past decade. “That is not necessarily as positive as one might assume, however, because we would have been starting from a pretty low bar. The impact of the internet and social media over the past decade has meant that media companies and news outlets come under a lot more pressure from the public to address issues in different ways. I’m not saying things have become perfect – they haven’t. But there’s definitely been progress.” In the grand scheme of things, representation of Muslims in film and TV is minimal at best, with much of it flitting between white saviourism, terrorism or or oppression narratives, whether it’s a Muslim woman whipping off her hijab in Netflix’s Elite or the plot twist of the BBC’s Bodyguardwhere the terrorist turns out to be an unsuspecting Muslim woman. They Are Us, from the little we do know about it, fits into the former category. Because, while the victims of the attack were Muslims, they have become a backdrop to the response of a white woman who simply did her job as an elected leader and showed compassion when dealing with the terror attack. And, whether you believe the story of Christchurch should be brought to cinemas or not, one thing we should all be able to agree on is this; the story of the community directly affected by the attack is one of utmost importance. It absolutely shouldn’t be sidelined.For the longest time, representation has simply meant sticking a Muslim anywhere in the storyline The emphasis upon Ardern’s story shows that Muslim narratives aren’t deemed worthy on their own without a white champion. It also tells those within the community that their narratives and lived experience and identity aren’t valuable. Sajid Varda, founder of UK Muslim Film and co-Chair at BFI Screen Advisory Group, tells me: “It would be a huge disservice to those who were murdered and to their families that still mourn them. Perhaps the story needs to be how the negative portrayals of Muslims and Islam in the media breeds extremism which led to the massacre in Christchurch.” Perhaps, then, the intention behind this film was good, but the execution certainly hasn’t been. And, while all stories about Muslims don’t necessarily need to be told only by Muslims, they do need to be well researched and they need to be inclusive of the community they will have an impact on. Media consultant Aaqil Ahmed, who has worked with the BBC and Channel 4 behind the scenes on producing TV and radio, explains: “This isn’t just a Muslim story, as it is about how a New Zealander responded, so to present this film from a singular perspective is questionable.” Emphasising that his opinion is informed by the little information available about the film, Ahmed adds: “Would making this a niche Muslim project have real world impact? Sometimes if you are trying to reach a wider audience you may need to look at things less directly. In reality, Jacinda Ardern is the person that will drive people to the cinemas. “If handled correctly – by which I mean considering tone, premise and delivery, not to mention setting out to portray a wider point of view or multiple views – this project could work. But you need to consult the right people and the community.” YOU MAY ALSO LIKE “ITV’s Honour misses a huge opportunity to tell Banaz Mahmod’s story” Echoing Ahmed’s sentiments, Saima Mir, a journalist, author and co-chair of the BFI’s Muslim Advisory Group, says: “Change must come at all levels within filmmaking and TV; that’s in front of the camera, and behind the scenes. For this change to be long lasting, we need allyship, and we need for decision makers to recognise their responsibility and to take the necessary steps to bring equity to this industry.” In the days since the film was first announced, producer Philippa Campbell has resigned, explaining that she had done so after listening to concerns raised by the community. The representation of Muslims is stuck in the rock and hard place of Muslims wanting to be represented on screen outside of stereotypes but also (and fairly so) being unwilling to engage or invest within the industry for longer than a moment of controversy because they don’t

Sajid Varda reveals how charity UK Muslim Film helped C4’s comedy drama Screw avoid misinformed stereotypes The seismic events of 9/11 not only affected global politics, but thrust Muslims on-screen in a drastic new way. Much to the frustration of regular ‘everyday’ Muslims, caricatures and damaging stereotypes were the order of the day, without regard for real-life implications. Having worked in film and TV since 1990, there were hardly any shows that depicted people like me. However, since 2001 there has been a dramatic rise in the number of storylines depicting Muslims as terrorists and Islam a faith to be feared, somehow out of step with the modern world. These dangerous tropes have served to embolden the less informed whose pre-existing anxieties were subsequently ‘confirmed’. The premiere of a short film I exec produced captivated audiences at the 2015 UK Jewish Film Festival, a simple comedy that brought together Jewish and Muslim characters and handled both communities in a nuanced and sensitive way. The Chop went on to win over 54 international awards, highlighting the power of storytelling that goes beyond stereotypes and reflects communities honestly and authentically. This led to my journey to establish the charity. UK Muslim Film launched in April 2020 supported by the BFI at an event which highlighted misrepresentation of Muslims and the considerable lack of Muslim talent in positions across production, namely at executive level and in writers’ rooms where the narratives are controlled. The launch received a great deal of international coverage and it was not long before we started receiving requests for help. STV Studios got in touch regarding their new drama series Screw for Channel 4. I was excited not only because we were presented with an opportunity to make a difference, but also because my first break on TV came in the Channel 4 cult comedy Teenage Health Freak. “Teaching the cast how to perform the Muslim prayer (salah) was a wonderful experience especially as we had the wider cast and crew looking on” The central storyline for this particular episode of ‘Screw’ focused on a Muslim ‘convert’ prisoner and we were pleased that this had been handled with care, with a refreshing twist to the story. We reviewed the scripts and provided our suggestions; advising on characterisation, dialogue and wardrobe. We visited the set in Glasgow to help stage the prayer scenes to ensure it looked authentic. Teaching the cast how to perform the Muslim prayer (salah) was a wonderful experience especially as we had the wider cast and crew looking on. For many this was a great learning experience. We have since been involved with a growing number of productions, all intent on broader and more accurate depictions. Why is this important? Because trite, cliched and contrived depictions of religious and cultural minorities jeopardises the integrity of your brand and undermines the veracity of your output. Shallow research evidences itself quickly, while the reputational damage remains long-term. It is imperative to showcase in-touch, meaningful and informed handling of religious and cultural themes to be taken seriously. Today, shows are sold around the world and with an addressable market of around 1.8 billion Muslims, this raises the stakes even higher. UK Muslim Film as is also a hub for the Muslim creative community with the aim of achieving broader representation of Muslims across production. Our motto is ‘Change the Script’. We hope that by working in close partnership with the screen industries, we can realise the shared ambition of media integrity, authentic engagement and a higher standard of storytelling for audiences to engage, relate and thrive through. Sajid Varda is chief exec of UK Muslim Film

In this special event for Birkbeck Arts Week, hosted by Daragh Carville, Sajid Varda of UK Muslim Film (UKMF) and Shaf Choudry, co-founder of the Riz Test, will be exploring issues around Muslim representation in UK film and television and asking how the film and television industries can both challenge damaging stereotypes and promote more authentic and inclusive representation. The UK Muslim Film Charity (UKMF) exists to advocate, advise and inform the film industry, in order to tackle the often negative portrayals of Muslim people and to champion Muslim representation across the screen industries.  In this special event for Birkbeck Arts Week, we’ll be unveiling industry data on Muslim representation using The Riz Test, inspired by similar tests such as the Bechdel Test and the recently launched BEATS Test, as a way to monitor and measure authentic Muslim representation in film and television. Shaf Choudry is a career technologist, obsessed with data and loves movies which combined makes him a huge geek. Since co-founding The Riz Test to measure the way Muslims are portrayed in the arts, he and co-founder Dr Sadia Habib have been invited to speak at universities across the country and regularly run workshops. In 2020 Shaf contributed to the collection I Refuse to Condemn where he authored a chapter outlining algorithmic bias.  Sajid Varda is an Actor, Writer, Producer and Broadcaster. Having started in the entertainment industry almost 30 years ago, he has been cast in lead roles for both drama and comedy on primetime British Television. Sajid starred in BBC TV’s Byker Grove as well as in programmes for ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. More recently, he produced and starred in an award-winning US comedy feature, as well as the international award winning British short film, The Chop. To address the often-negative portrayal of Muslims on screen, Sajid established a charity – UK Muslim Film (UKMF). He and his team are now working to launch the first ever Muslim International Film Festival (MIFF) in 2021 to showcase creative endeavours from across the world. How to join this event This event takes place online. You will receive an email one hour before the start of the event with a link to join. The email will come from messenger@bbk.ac.uk – please check your junk/spam inbox if you have not received the email one hour before the start of the event.