A giant spruce is chopped down for use as a Christmas tree in central Sofia. The route the tree takes from its mountain home to the city is the single element that links six independent stories. Each segment illustrates how people either celebrate the joys of the season or wallow in holiday misery. Male, female, old, young, rich and poor, everyone is confronted with the question of what their lives mean and deals with the answers as best they can. Comparing and contrasting characters from across Bulgarian society, [Christmas Tree Upside Down] draws a vivid portrait of the nation in the years after socialism and taps into the minds of a people living with disappointments, loneliness, losses and triumphs. Co-directors Vassil Zhivkov and Ivan Cherkelov capture the pride, humility, and frustration of a people in flux.