This year, women in Hollywood used their voices to challenge the norm. They bravely exposed their industry's deep-seated history of sexual misconduct, spoke out against the men who abused their power, and ignited a conversation that's turning Hollywood on its head.

Through it all, 2017 was also a triumphant year for female storytellers. From the record-breaking box office success of Patty Jenkins's Wonder Woman to Greta Gerwig's deeply intimate, and critically acclaimed, coming-of-age film, Lady Bird, this was the year women in Hollywood took control of their own narratives, telling powerful, evocative stories about the female experience.

And it wasn't just on the big screen. Master of None writer-star Lena Waithe and The Handmaid's Tale director Reed Morano both made history at this year's Emmys. To that, we say: It's about damn time.

Below, MTV News explores how 2017 was a defining year for women in film and television: