– The Duo’s Academy Award®-Nominated Live Action Short Jane Austen’s Period Drama racked up more than 100,000 YouTube views within days-
LOS ANGELES , CA, UNITED STATES, February 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — As the world celebrates Jane Austen’s 250th birthday, YouTube creators Julia Aks and Steve Pinder are honoring the beloved author in their own unmistakable way: with an Oscar-nominated Regency-era comedy film about periods.
Yes. It’s an Oscar-nominated period piece. And yes. It’s about THAT period.
After building a devoted online audience with musical and sketch comedy videos, including their viral Julie Andrews parody of Ariana Grande’s “7 RINGS”, Aks and Pinder have taken their storytelling to the Oscar race.
On Valentine’s Day, the duo surprised their subscribers by releasing their Academy Award®-nominated live-action short film Jane Austen’s Period Drama on Aks’ YouTube channel. The Regency-era romp about menstruation and romance quickly drew more than 100,000 views in its first few days.
Written and directed by Aks and Pinder, the 13-minute short is nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the 98th Academy Awards®. Set in England in 1813, the film follows Miss Estrogenia “Essy” Talbot, played by Aks, who gets her period just as her long-awaited marriage proposal finally arrives. Her suitor, Mr. Dickley (Ta’imua), mistakes the blood for a life-threatening injury and rushes off in search of a doctor. In his absence, Essy’s sisters urge her to protect her engagement by hiding the truth, but when he returns, Essy makes a bold choice, offering a candid and hilariously detailed explanation instead.
“The idea came to me as a silly 3-minute sketch. But when I asked a group of friends for funny period stories, there was this outpouring of anecdotes–some hilarious, but some deeply tragic and heartbreaking–that made me think there may be more heart in this idea than I realized,” Aks said.
Blending sharp comedy with lush period aesthetics, the film has been praised for its clever humor, classic costumes, and pointed commentary on menstrual stigma. It premiered at the 2024 Santa Barbara International Film Festival and went on to play at more than 50 festivals, winning over 30 awards, including the Audience Choice Award for Best Short Film at the 2024 Cleveland International Film Festival, the Overall Audience Choice Award for Best Short Film at 2024 Indy Shorts International, and the Jury Award for Comedy at the 2025 Aspen Shortsfest.
“We never expected the film to have this much reach,” Pinder noted. “We set out to make something that we love, something we could be proud of, something that was unmistakably us.” Aks continued, “To see it received in this way has been beyond our wildest dreams.”
The project even caught the attention of two-time Oscar winner Dame Emma Thompson, who joined the project in November 2025 as “Executive Menstrual Advisor,” – a clever and sharp-witted credit she chose in lieu of the traditional Executive Producer title.
For Aks and Pinder, releasing the film on YouTube ahead of the Oscars is a full-circle moment.
“We cut our teeth on YouTube, so having the film live on my channel now feels like a homecoming,” said Aks.
“YouTube is the most accessible stage in the world,” said Pinder. “We love that a film about something so universal can be seen without barriers.”
The cast also includes Samantha Smart, Nicole Alyse Nelson, Hugo Armstrong, Marilyn Brett, and Dustin Ingram. Jane Austen’s Period Drama is up for Best Live Action Short Film at the 98th Academy Awards®, which will be held on March 15, 2026.
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JANE AUSTEN’S PERIOD DRAMA / 2026 Oscar®-Nominated Short Film
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