Samira is a 12-year-old French-Algerian girl working alongside her mother as a spy for the French Resistance. Her mixed heritage sets her apart, making her a target for the occupying Nazi forces. She possesses quick-thinking intelligence and acts with courage far beyond her years. She focuses entirely on reaching the city of Bayeux to save her captive mother from execution.

Kenza is Samira's mother and a fearless member of the French Resistance. Originally from Algeria, she traveled to France for her education and relocated to Normandy to raise her daughter after her husband died protesting the Nazi occupation. She possesses quiet power, a strong moral compass, and a deep commitment to fighting oppression.

Clarke is an English soldier participating in the Allied invasion on D-Day. He requires assistance to reach his military objective at the Seulles bridge and accepts help from local civilians. He represents the broader Allied military effort and the strict orders soldiers must follow during the invasion.

Cyrano is a scrappy white terrier who becomes Samira's loyal companion after the Nazis capture both of their families. He actively aids Samira by distracting and harassing German soldiers. He operates on instinct and proves to be an unlikely but highly effective participant in the resistance.

Lucien is a starved-looking older boy and a fellow member of the French Resistance. He encounters Samira while on a covert mission to cut telephone lines and prevent German communication during the Allied invasion. He shares a mutual struggle with Samira and attempts to keep a practical outlook on their situation.

The Ruperts are decoy paratrooper dummies dropped by the Allied forces to confuse the German military during the D-Day invasion. Equipped with sound boxes that play gunshot and explosion noises, these papier-mâché figures serve as tools of deception in the fields of Normandy.