Sarah Polley, Canadian (and American) treasure

Filmmaker, activist and onetime child actor Sarah Polley, 43, could draw director and screenplay nominations for the religious community-set sexual abuse drama “Women Talking.� That is, if the academy finally figures out what Polley’s native Canada long has known: She is a singular talent.

1998:

Atom Egoyan receives directing and screenplay Oscar nominations for “The Sweet Hereafter,� but Polley’s breakout performance as a young bus crash survivor goes unrecognized.

2008:

Polley’s beyond-her-years-mature direction of Julie Christie as an Alzheimer’s patient in “Away From Her� does not lead to an Oscar nomination, but Christie is nominated, and Polley receives …

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... her only Academy Award nomination thus far, for adapted screenplay.

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Meanwhile, Canada’s Genies recognize Polley and “Away From Her� with seven awards, including best director.

2013:

Polley’s intensely personal, critically beloved documentary “Stories We Tell� fails to nab an expected Oscar nomination, despite …

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... a DGA nomination and Writers Guild of America, New York and Los Angeles critics groups and Directors Guild of Canada awards.

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Number of major Canadian film and television award nominations Polley has received, from recognition for starring in the 1980s kids series “Ramona� to recent Canadian Screen Awards for writing the miniseries adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s “Alias Grace� and directing the comedy “Hey Lady!�