In the 19th century’s highly patriarchal society, to be different could cost a woman her very freedom.

The Salpêtrière asylum, late 19th century. Every year, eminent neurologist Dr. Charcot throws a ball for his patients: epileptics, hysterics, and madwomen, who for just one night all dress up and dance before the eager eyes of the thrill-seeking Parisian elite. Behind the scenes, however, the truth of this bold experiment is far more complicated. These women are often inconvenient: unwanted wives, strong-willed daughters... Among them is Eugénie, sentenced to rot by her father for speaking with the dead. But she’s not crazy, and the ball will give her the perfect chance to escape her jailers.