The city of Yiwu, China, has more than 600 factories churning out Christmas decorations for the world. Thousands of people live there, far from home, housed in dormitories, dreaming of starting a business of their own one day. Deftly steering a course between idealism and sensationalism, Mladen Kovacevic documents the everyday lives of men and women who embody the flipside of consumerism. A lifestyle to which they aspire, dreaming of material comforts and social mobility, and also, simply, of love and freedom. As he meets them, the filmmaker gradually reveals the family ties, generation gaps, cultural paradoxes and unique lives that make up this toiling throng. Have you ever wanted to see Santa’s workshop? Here it is. (Apolline Caron-Ottavi)

Presented in collaboration with Radio-Canada

Merry Christmas, Yiwu