From Harvey Weinstein to Martin Luther: DW's 'Men of the Year' in culture

In the US, Jimmy Kimmel seems to spearhead a non-parliamentary opposition with his late night show "Jimmy Kimmel Live." He had tears in his eyes when he spoke about weapons laws after the October shootings in his hometown, Las Vegas. Like his colleagues Stephen Colbert and Trevor Noah, he doesn't ridicule Donald Trump; he simply uses facts to expose the US president.

The influential US film mogul is proof that a man of the year doesn't necessarily make news with favorable headlines. Dozens of women have come forward with allegations of sexual harassment or assault against Harvey Weinstein; police are investigating rape allegations. What's worse: His behavior was an open secret in Hollywood.

Another career that is in tatters: Oscar-award winning US actor Kevin Spacey faces sexual misconduct allegations by male colleagues. Filming of the highly acclaimed series "House of Cards" has been shelved. The actor seized the moment to out himself as gay – as if that were a reason for sexual abuse. He is said to have checked into a rehab center.

The son of Woody Allen and Mia Farrow got the ball rolling on Weinstein this year with his report in the New Yorker. A veritable wunderkind, Ronan graduated from college at age 15, went on to study law in Yale, and then worked as a government adviser during the Obama administration. He is estranged from his father.

The actor who plays lobbyist Remy Danton in "House of Cards" in 2017 became the first Muslim actor to win an Oscar: He was awarded best supporting actor for his role as drug dealer Juan in "Moonlight." Coming up for the 43-year-old, who also welcomed his first child this year: a lead role in the third season of the HBO series "True Detective."

Germans have been watching top-notch US and British series for years, while there hasn't been much on offer from their home country. That changed this year with director Tom Tykwer's "Babylon Berlin," a period drama set in the Weimar Republic in Berlin. Season one has debuted, and the next two seasons are in production. Tykwer also heads the jury at next year's Berlin Film Festival.

In May, the Portuguese jazz singer won the Eurovision Song Contest for his country with the hit song "Amar pelos dois." Sobral was in fragile health at the time and received a heart transplant in December.

The art historian founded the "Fotobiennale" exhibitions in Heidelberg and Mannheim, and he also curated the German pavilion at the 2015 Venice Art Exhibition. After four years of heading the photo collection at Germany's Folkwang museum in Essen, this year, Ebner moved on to head the photo collection at the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

With France the guest of honor, the French President was the star at this year's Frankfurt Book Fair. His speech on language, democracy and diversity was filled pathos, contrasting with Merkel's matter-of-fact tone. Macron also opened the Louvre Abu Dhabi. He didn't initiate the deal, but wouldn't complain about the nearly half a billion euros paid to his country for the use of the Louvre name.

Before the Belgian art historian took over as director of the Berliner Volksbühne, people were worried he would drive the theater to artistic insignificance. Self-proclaimed activists occupied the theater for a week after he took office: The ensuing hype should create enough buzz to make sure the venue is busy enough in his first season.

October 31, on the 500th anniversary of the reformation, was an extra holiday this year in Germany. Defiantly, Martin Luther is to have uttered the words "Here I stand, I can do no other," a phrase regarded as symbolic of the reformer's convictions, which included a pronounced intolerance toward other denominations. On the bright side, Luther had a positive influence on the German language.

The German actor is feted on stage as Richard III, and his portrayal of Russia's Czar Nikolaus II in the film "Matilda." A performance of Shakespeare's play in Istanbul was cancelled due to the political situation in Turkey, however — and the 41-year-old refrained from going to Russia for the film premiere due to threats. Instead, the multi-talented German released an album: "I'll Break Ya Legg."

This journalist's fate probably served as a warning to the Berlin theater that cancelled its Istanbul performance. Yücel has been detained in Istanbul since February and stands accused of spreading "terrorist propaganda." The European Court of Human Rights has set a deadline for the Turkish government to give a statement on the case. Yücel has become a symbol Erdogan's authoritarianism in Turkey.