The editing process

Samuel and I are already a well-coordinated team in the editing room: his journalistic expertise and refined text design, combined with my technical expertise and creativity, have always resulted in a great mix. This time it was different, because Amira and Matt were on board—as newcomers to editing, they were still learning the ropes, but they got up to speed incredibly quickly. Their fresh perspective, creativity, and motivation turned the report into the light-hearted story it is today.

The story


Fairy lights twinkle, the smell of punch fills the air—the Christmas markets open and attract millions of people every year. But what visitors see as a festive tradition is actually a lot of hard work behind the scenes. Many stallholders and a large proportion of the cleaning and security staff have a migration background – without them, the markets would be unimaginable. They work long shifts, stand in the cold and cope with enormous crowds of visitors, while at the same time shaping the atmospheric heart of the markets. But who are the people who keep things running and often remain invisible? And how is it possible to make Christmas markets safe for everyone despite the security risks? In this episode, Amira Ali, Samuel Mago, and Matt Sartin explore these questions and offer insights into the Advent season that are rarely seen. (Text: on.orf.at)

TV broadcasting: | ORF 210.12.2025, 22:55 Uhr | ORF 1ORF ON

zur Doku

The film crew


Direction: Samuel Mago, Amira Ali, Matt Martin | Camera: Roland Genewein, Berni Schmidt, Jürgen Bauernfeind, Daniel Gmainer-Pranzl | Editing: Marlene Mayer | Sound: Martin Stiendl, Markus Reiter, Andreas Wieser | Color correction: Alexander Grader | Production: Doris Kastl | Broadcast responsibility: Clara Akinyosoye | Overall management: Lisa Totzauer

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