Cate Blanchett’s won her second Oscar. Now it’s time for her to give back to the industry that gave her her start

CATE Blanchett has won her second Oscar. Now it’s time for her to give back to the Aussie film industry, according to national film critic Leigh Paatsch.

WHAT a win. What a performance. What a talent.

But what has she done for us lately?

Cate Blanchett’s victory as Best Actress at the 2014 Academy Awards is an extraordinary achievement, and a thoroughly deserved one.

Her work in Blue Jasmine is nothing short of brilliant, a perfect melding of technique and instinct that would be the envy of any artist specialising in any discipline.

The final ten minutes of Blue Jasmine in particular — where after a sustained display of sheer acting gymnastics, Blanchett lands a difficult dismount with devastating precision — pay testament to a rare gift.

Few actors can transcend what an audience thinks it wants by delivering what it never knew it needed.

BLANCHETT REVELS IN OSCAR GLORY

Has there ever been a greater performance by an Australian in movie history? I don’t think so.

However, while Blanchett’s Oscars triumph is sure to be big news everywhere in the days to come, it ultimately means precious little to the local industry that gave her a start.

If you’re excited enough by her landmark win to take a patriotic dig into Blanchett’s accomplished track record, a rather sobering power statistic soon comes to the surface.

Second statuette ... Cate Blanchett accepts the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in Blue Jasmine. Picture: John Shearer/Invision

Since 1997, Cate Blanchett has appeared only once in the lead role of an Australian feature film: the award-winning 2005 drama Little Fish.

That’s one movie in the past 17 years. (Two, maybe, if you’re willing to include a brief contribution to the 2013 omnibus production of Tim Winton’s The Turning.)

DO YOU AGREE WITH LEIGH? HAVE YOUR SAY BELOW

Of course, Blanchett isn’t flying solo when it comes to doing bugger-all here after becoming a big deal overseas. Why stand still in this small puddle when you can float in any direction across the pond?

GALLERY: RED CARPET GLAMOUR

Hasn’t exactly stopped the likes of Geoffrey Rush, Mia Wasikowska, Sam Worthington and even the much-maligned Nicole Kidman (three major Oz productions since 2001) from putting a little something back when time permits. But each to their own.

Winners are grinners ... Actors Matthew McConaughey winner of Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, Cate Blanchett winner of Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, Lupita Nyong'o winner of Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role and Jared Leto winner of Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role. Picture: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

However, if ever there was a time for a thriving major player like Cate Blanchett to give a boost to an ailing minor industry like ours in Australia, that time would most certainly be now.

Take 2013 as a case in point. Subtract Baz Luhrmann’s primarily Hollywood-backed The Great Gatsby from contention, and Australian-made movies experienced their worst year at the local box-office in a long, long time.

Best Actress ... Cate Blanchett on the red carpet today. Picture: Christopher Polk

Though last week saw the horror sequel Wolf Creek 2 claim top spot on the charts, this is hardly the sign of a sudden turnaround happening any time soon.

Is the Australian film industry to blame for the rut in which it is stuck? You bet.

If our current stable of home-based producers, directors and screenwriters haven’t been able to create projects that make offers our biggest and brightest stars cannot refuse, so be it.

Nevertheless, whenever a legendary local talent like Cate Blanchett kills time and collects a cheque in another half-assed Hobbit or Indiana Jones sequel, that’s one more lost opportunity for an industry that has lost its way.

So come on Cate, how about taking one for the old team? A team that is clearly struggling to stay in the game?