Usually, when it comes to the three Oscar categories involving short films, I’m not really invested in who wins, beyond my annual bet with a buddy over who calls more winners. This year, however, Jane Austen’s Period Drama has given me a film to root for in the Live Action Short category. It’s not at all what one might expect from an Academy Award-nominated short, because it's a comedy.
The Short Is A Wonderful Parody
I know I said it’s like an SNL sketch in the title here, but it’s more than that. It’s a really well-crafted SNL sketch. It’s smart, it’s creative, and it’s wonderfully shot. It’s also a great parody of a Jane Austen novel in its writing and construction. I started laughing almost immediately, and guffawed a bunch of times over the shorts’ quick runtime of just under 13 minutes.
I don’t want to spoil anything here, so I’ll tease the plot of the film the same way the filmmakers have:
England, 1813. In the middle of a long-awaited marriage proposal, Miss Estrogenia Talbot gets her period. Her suitor, the dashing Mr. Dickley, mistakes the blood for an injury, and it soon becomes clear that his very expensive education has most certainly missed a spot.
One of the creators (along with Steve Pinder), Julia Aks, stars as Miss Estrogenia Talbot and is pitch-perfect in her performance. If you’re a fan of shows like Bridgerton and The Gilded Age, or movies like the new Wuthering Heights on the 2026 movie schedule, you’ll likely really appreciate the love and respect that went into satirizing the genre.
This Isn’t The Kind Of Short Film That Usually Gets Nominated
Normally, I expect the shorts that get nominated to be more esoteric than Jane Austen’s Period Drama. Often, they are more surreal, as is another wonderful nominee, Two People Exchanging Saliva. It is also available on YouTube (and yet another reason to subscribe to its premium service). That is not what is going on with this period drama. It’s a fun watch, and it’s so refreshing to see a short film get this kind of attention.
It’s not the attention Aks and Pinder expected, with Aks posting on YouTube:
When Steve and I decided to push ourselves to grow from sketch comedy into narrative filmmaking, we never imagined our comedy about periods would bring us here: nominated for an Oscar. It’s rare for a comedy to get to where we are, and we are so proud to be sharing the film with you here!
They should be proud, because not only is it hilarious, but it’s just so thoughtfully written and produced that getting rewarded with a nomination must be exceptionally gratifying for a comedy. Let’s face it, the Oscars don’t reward comedies enough, so that makes this nomination even more unique.
We’re just under a month away from the Oscars, hosted again by Conan O’Brien, and for the first time, maybe ever, I’ll be rooting for a specific film in this category.
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