Armed with boundless self-confidence and the creativity of two children, with A Dress without a Body, Claire Hélie has written a fable about the liberating power of art, its ability to broaden our horizons and give us a sense of the sacred.

Chicoutimi, 1963. At age 11, Miss Short and Miss Tall, respectively adventurous and obediant, do just about everything together. One day, when they visit their neighbour, a sculptor, Miss Short is transfixed by the strange clay head displayed on his table.

No matter how curious we may be, sometimes part of the world remains a mystery unless a kind soul gives us a push in the right direction. The abbot is that kind soul for these two. The doors of sculptor’s workshop open Miss Short up and Miss Tall’s own life become upturned when she starts learning about her father, who had been gone for years.

As Miss Short spends more time with the sculptor, she decides to trade in learning her prayers by heart for creating her own idols and a roofless chapel. On the banks of Rat River, she makes her friend do a bunch of pagan rituals, half in play and half as a solemn promise.