Senator Onésimo Sanchez is a 42-year-old politician who organizes elaborate, illusion-filled campaign rallies in impoverished towns. He is married and a father of five, but the private knowledge of his impending death isolates him from his once-happy domestic life. He maintains a cool, placid exterior while actively struggling with intense feelings of solitude and the artificiality of his political career.

Laura Farina is a 19-year-old woman living in the isolated village of Rosal del Virrey. She functions under the strict control of her father, lacking autonomy over her own body and choices. When sent to the senator's quarters, she acts as a quiet, observant presence, uniquely fascinated by the paper butterfly illusions and the fresh rose she finds in his room.

Nelson Farina is a French-speaking resident of Rosal del Virrey who lives outside the bounds of the law due to a dark, violent past. He repeatedly begs the senator for a false identity card to secure his freedom from his criminal history. Resourceful and manipulative, he outfits his daughter in a physical padlock, using her as a tool to force the politician to grant his request.