Can Kate Winslet Come Back to Oscar with The Dressmaker?

It’s been a while since Kate Winslet won her Oscar for The Reader (2009, to be exact) and she hasn’t been nominated since. Interesting, coming off the fact that she had secured six nominations up to that point; three of them in a four year span leading up to her win. Was her thirst for an Oscar so complete that the Academy is done with her?

That could change with The Dressmaker, if it finds U.S. distribution, that is. It’s being released by Universal abroad but has yet to find a buyer here. Considering Universal has an extra billion or so in box office this year it might not be a bad idea for them to release it here in the states as well and drop a healthy sum on a good Oscar campaign for her and the film. She already has potential as a supporting player in Steve Jobs this fall, which is also being distributed by Universal so why not a double dose?

Directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse (Proof), The Dressmaker tells the story of Myrtle “Tilly” Dunnage; a woman who is beautiful, strong, quick-witted, and even quicker sewing on her period Singer sewing machine. Upon returning to her small hometown in rural Australia (where Winslet cops a perfect Aussie accent, btw), she plots to exact revenge on those who have defamed and wronged her. Adding supporting help to this story are Academy Award nominee Judy Davis (Husbands and Wives) who seems ripe for an Oscar return with a role just dripping with wit and one-liners (“a murderer….and a lesbian!”), hunky Liam Hemsworth (who seems far more animated outside of his Hunger Games constraints) and Hugo Weaving (The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert). In the background, the tech crew are no slouches either; Oscar nominations are plentiful with Jill Bilcock for Film Editing, Don McAlpine lensing the film and Roger Ford’s production design.

Check out the trailer below: