Ground breaking drama series on One TV explores queerness

Homophobia still permeates football, pushing young people away from the game or forcing players to hide their sexuality, despite efforts to combat discrimination.

This is one of the central themes of the ground-breaking new series Kwir, produced by Brandon Terribile, which will begin airing on Monday, 6 January, on One TV.

“I wanted to ‘de-homophobe’ football,” he said of Lysander, one of the main characters in the series, who is a young footballer with a crush on a fellow male college student, Connor.

Terribile explained that despite more international football players coming out about their sexuality in recent years, the issue remains taboo in Malta.

“While conducting research for this project, I realised that teenagers who identify as queer either stay away completely from football or fear coming out to their teammates,” he noted. “I feel Kwir will help challenge the stereotype that football is just for straight men.”

The TV series not only explores the budding gay relationship between Lysander and Connor, but it also aims to create space for underrepresented voices and stories.

“The series explores pansexuality and non-binary sexuality, among other issues that I feel are not discussed openly, making it harder for young people to come out,” Terribile explained.

The cast also includes three renowned drag artists who will play themselves, making Kwir arguably the first Maltese TV series centred on LGBTIQ themes, which aligns closely with Terribile’s philosophy of inclusion.

“I am very excited about this project because it is about inclusion, representation and inspiration,” he said, calling it the first Maltese series to fall under the “LGBTIQ genre”.

The narrative follows themes of self-discovery, family, and human relationships, with teenagers navigating the complicated waters of love and identity.

Terribile reported positive feedback so far: “The series aims to reach young people and possibly inspire those who feel different to come out, but you’d be surprised by how many 60-year-olds approach these issues with an open mind.”

However, the producer anticipated negative feedback and resistance from certain religious quarters, which is why he has prepared the actors for any possible backlash.

“Especially with the young actors, I had to prepare them for any reaction and offer psychological support if needed,” Terribile said.

This preparation ties in with the backstage work that went into the production. “I collaborated with organisations like MGRM because there was also a learning process involved for crew members, such as understanding what pronouns to use when addressing non-binary actors,” Terribile explained.

Moreover, he added that the series also promises to be entertaining. “At the end of the day, this series is intended to entertain its audience, but it also provides an environment that teenagers can relate to while raising awareness.”

Kwir brings together new faces to the TV screen alongside some of Malta’s veteran actors, such as Frida Cauchi, Inez Farrugia, Mary Rose Mallia, and Sarah Camilleri.

Kwir airs on One TV every Monday at 8:45pm.