Kuntergrau might have passed most English-speaking areas by – until now – but it’s claimed that it’s currently continental Europe’s most popular gay-themed web series. That’s all the more remarkable considering it’s produced on a voluntary basis as part of the youth work of Europe’s oldest LGBT youth center: the „anyway“ youth center in Cologne, Germany.
It’s made by young gay people aged between 15 and 27 in their spare time, including film students as well as media-interested gay men who all have one goal – to show the world what being gay in 2017 means to them. They’ve produced two seasons of the show so far. The first five episodes debuted in 2016, with four more premiering in 2017 – that may only be 9 episode, but it represents a chunky 130 minutes of entertainment.
Here’s the synopsis: ‘In KUNTERGRAU, coming out is part of the past while sex and love is mundane. A group of five gay friends between 17 and 24 deal with everyday problems and experience the meaning of love, sex, and friendship.
‘The series deals with Leopold (Age 17) who does not want to identify himself through his sexuality, Noah (Age 24), whose BDSM fetish challenges his ex-boyfriend, Jan (Age 20), to a point where their relationship begins to break. Along with them, promiscuous Marcel (Age 21), who works as a banker and has to live with his HIV infection. Last but not least, Lukas (Age 19) who moves from the country to the big city to get away from his controlling parents – unsuccessfully.
The stories of these five men become intertwined and what results is a story that encapsulates what it means to be a young gay man in a big city.’
Take a look at Seasons 1 and 2 below (you may need to switch on subtitles/CC if you don’t speak German). You can find out more over on the show’s official website.
Season 1
Season 2
Leave a Reply (if comment does not appear immediately, it may have been held for moderation)