Charlotte is a seventeen-year-old art student living in apartment 4L of 33 Place Brugmann. She has colorblindness, which her architect father helps her manage by teaching her to understand form, light, and composition instead of pigment. Pragmatic and observant, she is deeply connected to her neighbors but remains emotionally reserved, focusing her creative energy on drawing and filmmaking.

Julian is a brilliant mathematics student at Cambridge who returns home to Brussels for the summer. He is heavily influenced by the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein and fascinated by the intersection of logic and reality. He uses filmmaking as an outlet for his creative side while harboring deep, unspoken feelings for his neighbor.

Francois is a gentle, moral architect and a veteran of the First World War. Haunted by his wartime experiences, he is fiercely protective of his daughter and believes deeply in creating spaces that foster human connection. He holds a strong philosophical opposition to the encroaching fascist ideology.

Leo is a pragmatic Jewish art dealer who lives in apartment 4R with his family. Recognizing the growing threat in Europe long before his peers, he views the world through a lens of calculated risk. He uses his international connections to orchestrate plans to protect his family and preserve priceless cultural artifacts.

Masha is a talented seamstress who lives and works in a small fifth-floor maid's room. Having fled violence in post-revolutionary Russia, she maintains a cynical, hardened view of the world to protect herself. Despite her tough exterior, she provides a magical sanctuary in her attic atelier for the younger residents.

Dirk is a young man living in apartment 2R with his parents. He is a quiet observer who often plays the saxophone, creating a discordant soundtrack for the building. He harbors deep-seated resentment and positions himself to adapt to the changing political climate by attending Flemish nationalist meetings.

Miss Agathe Hobert is a lonely, resentful former café proprietor living in apartment 3R. She spends her days monitoring the comings and goings of her neighbors, using her acute hearing to gather information. Her personal grievances and need for control make her highly suspicious of anyone who breaks the rules.

The Colonel is a gruff, retired military man living in apartment 3L. A widower, he maintains a quiet life with his trained dog, Zipper. Beneath his unassuming exterior, he is deeply principled and maintains a wide network of former military and intelligence contacts.

Jan Everard manages the administrative affairs of 33 Place Brugmann from his ground-floor office. He is highly opportunistic and focused on his own professional and financial advancement, keeping close tabs on the residents' activities and assets.

Philippe is an older architecture student from Antwerp who captures Charlotte's attention. Passionate and intense, he is deeply engaged in the political turmoil sweeping Europe and prioritizes his resistance activities over his personal life.

Esther is Julian's sister and the daughter of Leo and Sophia Raphaël. She is a cheerful presence in the building during the summer of 1939, participating in the neighborhood filmmaking before world events force her to take on more serious responsibilities.

Sophia is Leo's wife and the matriarch of the Raphaël family. She is a stabilizing force who previously helped Francois care for Charlotte after his wife died. She struggles with anxiety as the political situation deteriorates and forces her family to scatter.

Harry is a British spy operating on the continent. He builds intelligence and escape networks while managing a dangerous, secretive life. He is prone to tension and relies heavily on his operatives to gather information from the occupying forces.

Martin is a lawyer living in the building and the father of Dirk. He maintains a respectable public life while quietly engaging in acts of conscience that put him at odds with the changing laws.

Katrin is Martin's wife and Dirk's mother. She harbors long-standing family secrets that complicate her relationship with her son and create a tense household environment.

Mats is a Flemish art dealer who approaches Leo with a business proposition. He represents the opportunism that arises as discriminatory laws begin to restrict Jewish business owners.

Professor Weiss is Charlotte's art teacher in Antwerp. He is a targeted intellectual who attempts to safeguard his collection of artwork before the political situation makes it impossible to remain safely in the city.

DeDecker is the manager at the uniform factory where Charlotte briefly works. He is a corrupt opportunist who exploits his minor authority to steal from both the locals and the collaborationist party, while harassing his employees.

Schmidt is a polite German officer stationed in Brussels. He attempts to balance his military duties while occasionally demonstrating unexpected, quiet acts of leniency toward the local civilians.

Maryanne is the owner of the local bakery. She defies the strict rationing rules to provide better quality bread to her trusted neighbors, serving as a quiet point of resistance and support in the community.

Smets is the proprietor of the local grocery store. He weaponizes the rationing system to cheat his neighbors and curries favor with the occupying soldiers, embodying the petty malice of civilian opportunism.

The young newsboy publicly sells the collaborationist paper to maintain his cover while secretly distributing resistance materials. He serves as a vital communication link in the neighborhood.

Ivo Van Cauter is a city administrator and a new, Nazi-sympathizing tenant in the building. He actively participates in the regime's efforts to monitor the civilian population and enforce order.

Annick is the wife of the notary, Jan Everard. She assists in her husband's opportunistic efforts by secretly opening and reading the neighbors' mail to gather valuable intelligence.