Quick, how many women have ever been nominated for Best Cinematography at the Academy Awards?

Let’s just say that if you answered anything more than zero, you weren’t even close. The sad fact is that the cinematography and sound categories at the Oscars have remained gentlemen-only for eighty whole years. True, female cinematographers are vastly outnumbered in the industry, but that should be all the more reason to recognise one when she does outstanding work.

For my money, Ellen Kuras (“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” “Personal Velocity,” “Summer of Sam”) is one of the most exciting talents in the business. Lisa Rinzler’s work on Tony Bui’s “Three Seasons” made it one of the most painterly films of this decade. Maryse Alberti did extraordinary work on Todd Haynes’ “Velvet Goldmine” and has contributed to some of the most important documentaries of recent years, including this year’s Oscar winner, “Taxi to the Dark Side.” These, and other, female DPs have been recognised by Sundance, the Independent Spirit Awards, and even the American Society of Cinematographers, but never at the awards holy grail that is the Oscars. Yet.

Next year, the Academy has one of their strongest chances yet to break that hex. That chance comes in the shape of Mandy Walker, the hitherto largely unheralded cinematographer of Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming epic “Australia,” who received the Kodak Vision Award at last night’s Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards.

(Congratulations, by the way, to all the winners, including Sherry Lansing, Salma Hayek and Ginnifer Goodwin, who‘s been on my ‘names to watch’ radar for a while.)

By now, you’ve all surely seen the “Australia” trailer. While the jury is out on whether the film will be any good (I’m optimistic), I think everyone can agree that, like all Luhrmann’s work, it will be nothing if not gorgeous to look at, with the sweeping landscapes and vast set pieces that the cinematographers’ branch tends to swoon over.

It’s certainly a step up in scale for Walker, whose interesting CV includes a pair of terrific Australian independent features, Shirley Barrett’s highly impressionistic 1996 debut “Love Serenade,” and Ray Lawrence’s 2001 “Lantana,” which is near the top of my personal ‘best of the decade’ list. Both were impressive lensers’ showcases, and I presume it was the latter film which landed Walker her first American assignment, the underrated “Shattered Glass.” Walker’s work there netted her a Spirit Award nomination – not a bad career trajectory for a relative newcomer. In the five years since, she’s been working on “Australia,” so I hope the time she’s invested pays off in terms of career rewards.

Oscar or not, however, it’s hugely encouraging to see a female DP on a big studio pic. The studios have been most averse of all to women in this field, with even the most accomplished ladies restricted to independents and documentaries. Here’s hoping this is a sign of things to come.

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