At the age of 33, Gaëlle has decided to undergo surgery to rid herself of a scoliosis that has deformed her back and her life for over 20 years. “Straightening” tells of a young woman’s physical and psychological metamorphosis, as she strives for the body she wished she had naturally: less painful, straighter, perhaps even beautiful; a body that allows her to imagine herself as a strong, straight woman, a mother.

Despite the ordeal she imposes on herself, there is no certainty that Gaëlle will succeed in becoming her imaginary ideal. Her quest for this self depends on surgery, the outcome of which is unpredictable.