Once Upon a Time at Christmas

An elderly Xu Fu is questioned by immigration officials while attempting to enter the Middle Eastern country where he once lived. His interrogation prompts him to recall his experiences there more than two decades earlier. After a workplace disaster, Xu Fu travels to the fictional Middle Eastern city of Bahata to earn money to repay his debts. He becomes the head chef of the Loong Restaurant, owned by Zaid, a local government official, and works alongside Ma Junsheng, the restaurant's Chinese floor manager. Ma is engaged to Lina, a teacher at a nearby orphanage. Among the orphans is Seif, a mischievous boy who frequently visits the restaurant. Although Xu initially finds the children troublesome, he gradually becomes fond of them. As the restaurant becomes successful, a war with the United States suddenly breaks out. The Chinese government organizes an evacuation of its citizens, but Zaid persuades Xu to remain, offering him a share of the restaurant. Xu stays behind and continues operating the restaurant as the city descends into chaos. The restaurant is protected by the local water and electricity ministry, allowing business to continue even as much of the city suffers from shortages and violence. After the orphanage is destroyed, several of the children take refuge at the Loong Restaurant. Seif begins helping Xu in the kitchen and eventually becomes his apprentice, learning to cook and speak Chinese. After meeting Tony Wang, a Chinese-American soldier serving with the United States Army, he begins smuggling alcohol into the restaurant. The Loong Restaurant subsequently becomes one of the few places in the city where American soldiers and other customers can obtain alcohol, making Xu increasingly wealthy and causing him to abandon his plans to return to China. Zaid's fortunes deteriorate when he refuses to pay increasingly high prices demanded by American forces for smuggled medicine to treat his daughter. His house is attacked by anti-Ba'athist forces who kill his wife and daughter, after which Zaid disappears. About a year and a half later, the two men and Seif are arrested by American military police after being suspected of involvement in a car bombing organized by Zaid, who has become a terrorist. They insist that Tony can testify on their behalf, only to learn that Tony was killed in the bombing. Xu, Ma, and Seif are taken to Alifah Prison. While imprisoned, Xu, Ma, and Seif work as kitchen assistants and become great friends with the prison authorities. They encounter Headmaster Ali, the leader of a militant organization who indoctrinates orphans into child soldiers. Ali is interrogated by Morgan, an American lieutenant who tortures him by hanging him from a rope and forcing him to drink buckets of chili water through a funnel, which Xu had replaced with a harmless substance after empathizing with him. Ali is secretly given a drawing of a Christmas tree. Seif subsequently becomes exposed to Ali's extremist ideology and befriends Jamal, a child being trained by Ali. The boys put chili into Morgan's underwear as a prank, resulting in Xu and Ma being beaten by Morgan. Seif attempts to kill Morgan with a kitchen knife, but it is chained to the table. Xu and Ma placate him. More than six months later, Xu, Ma, and Seif are cleared of the bombing and are due to be released. However, the prison authorities ask them to stay temporarily to prepare a Christmas feast for the soldiers. On Christmas Eve, they prepare an extravagant feast. While Xu is relaxing on the prison roof, militants disguised as American forces launch an assault on the prison in an attempt to free Ali and the other prisoners. During the fighting, a grenade is thrown toward Xu, Ma, and Seif. Seif attempts to throw it away but it explodes and he loses his left eye. Xu, Ma, and Seif are captured by Zaid and taken to Ali's compound where orphans are being trained as child soldiers, and are forced to work as cooks. Months later, Xu spends his remaining savings arranging an escape. Seif, ostracized because of his injury, considers joining Ali. When Ali asks the children who is willing to kill Morgan and become the organization's first warrior. Seif volunteers, but Xu prevents him from being selected, allowing Jamal to take his place. Seif hides in the trunk of the militants' vehicle and discovers that the children's missions are actually suicide bombings. After witnessing Jamal's death, Seif realizes that becoming a warrior would only result in his own death. With the children scheduled to be sent on more missions, Ma devises a plan to delay the organization by causing the children to become ill from eating sprouted potatoes. The plan is discovered, and Xu, Ma, and Seif are interrogated. Ma sacrifices himself and is shot. Xu and Seif subsequently escape with 23 children who are willing to leave. They travel by van and on foot for an entire day before crossing into a neighboring country and finding refuge in a large mosque. Xu prepares a final me…