UK Period Thriller “The Pearl Comb” Named Best Short of January at Indie Short Fest

Indie Short Fest is proud to announce The Pearl Comb, directed by Ali Cook (UK), as the winner of the Best Short of the Season – January 2026, the top distinction of this month’s edition and one of the first major highlights of the 2026 Annual Awards cycle.

A Cure, a Secret, and a Reckoning

Set in 1893, the film follows a fisherman’s wife who becomes the first person to cure someone of tuberculosis, capturing the attention of the medical profession and igniting suspicion in a society determined to keep women out of power. A doctor, intent on proving that a woman’s place is in the home, not practicing medicine, is sent to investigate her claim, only to uncover the disturbing truth behind the source of her “miraculous” ability.

Blending historical drama with folklore, suspense, and sharp social commentary, The Pearl Comb stood out to Indie Short Fest jury for its ambition and precision, delivering a richly cinematic period narrative that is both unsettling and emotionally resonant. The film’s escalating tension, striking atmosphere, and confident storytelling combine into a short that feels sweeping in scope while remaining intensely focused on character conflict and moral power games.

From the Festival Circuit to the Awards Spotlight

The Pearl Comb has been shortlisted for the Academy Awards in the Live Action Short Film category — officially placing it among the 15 films advancing on the Oscars shortlist. The film has also been longlisted for the 2026 EE BAFTA Film Awards in the British Short Film category, reinforcing its exceptional momentum on the international circuit.

Additionally, The Pearl Comb is now also streaming on Disney+ across Europe, bringing this acclaimed short to an even wider audience as its awards run continues to grow.

The Pearl Comb is led by an impressive cast, featuring Beatie Edney, with Ali Cook also appearing on screen, alongside Simon Armstrong and Clara Paget.

The Storyteller Behind the Spell

Written and directed by Ali Cook, The Pearl Comb follows his acclaimed earlier short The Cunning Man, which was also BAFTA long listed short.

The story of The Pearl Comb, was inspired by the unjust and historically documented struggle of the “Edinburgh Seven” — a group of women in the 1890s who fought to qualify as doctors, only to be denied the right to practice and publicly attacked for challenging the status quo. Drawing from that reality, Cook combined history with myth after visiting Cornwall with his daughters and hearing local legends of the Pellar family, an ancient lineage of esoteric healers believed to have received their powers from a mermaid — giving rise to a cinematic story of a woman who practices medicine under the guise of witchcraft, because her rural community is more comfortable with magic than with female expertise.

The film has also received strong industry praise, including from producer Joanna Laurie (One Life, starring Anthony Hopkins), who described The Pearl Comb as “ambitious, smart, scary, dramatic, funny, and above all, expertly crafted.”

Ali Cook, writer and director of *The Pearl Comb*

Beyond directing, Ali Cook has built a wide-ranging career across writing, performance, and television, beginning with writing and starring in seven of his own TV series for Channel 4, Channel 5, and Sky 1, including Dirty Tricks (Channel 4), which was nominated for a British Comedy Award. He is also known as an actor, with credits including Kajaki (BAFTA-nominated and BIFA-winning), Muscle, How to Fake a War alongside Katherine Parkinson, and as series regular DCI Simmons in Ragdoll for AMC, produced by Sid Gentle.

With The Pearl Comb, Cook delivers a rare kind of short film: one that feels both classically crafted and strikingly modern in its urgency, a chilling portrait of injustice, power, and the stories societies invent to silence women who refuse to stay invisible.

The Pearl Comb is a 2025–2026 Indie Short Fest Annual Awards Finalist, advancing into consideration for the festival’s upcoming annual nominations and set to be screened during the Annual Awards showcase at Regal LA Live on May 9th.