STRAIGHTEN UP AND FLY RIGHT

When Kristen's, a physically disabled New York woman, life starts to unravel, she must make a choice to fall apart or straighten up.

All alone during a brutal winter, Kristen flounders to find the warmth of connection. She does not look like a typical twentysomething New York woman. Kristen battles with Ankylosing Spondylitis, a severe form of arthritis, and is permanently bent over. To deal with her physical pain, she takes more than the recommended dose of Advil, smokes weed, and pays to have sex with her drug dealer. Her daily escape is watching hours of YouTube and writing intensely in her black notebook. She walks dogs for a living and dreams of becoming a writer, but lacks the courage to pursue her passion seriously. Things go sideways when Kristen’s boss sends her to walk a new client’s dog. There she meets Steven, an older man who is also bent over with Ankylosing Spondylitis. Confronted with a mirror image of her disability, Kristen is horrified. Steven sees an opportunity to mentor Kristen, and they set out on a journey that will change them forever.

Directed by Kristen Abate and Steven Tanenbaum, the later who has Ankylosing Spondylitis, the same inflammatory disease his character has, STRAIGHTEN UP AND FLY RIGHT is an honest portrayal about the realities of living with a physical disability. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Slamdance 2022.