Roman is a conflicted artist working as a government censor, tasked with airbrushing enemies of the state out of photographs to erase their historical existence. Guilt-ridden over his role in his brother Vaska's denunciation, he subtly paints his brother's face into the backgrounds of various artworks as a secret form of penance. His artistic temperament often clashes with the rigid oppression of his environment, leading to risky choices.

Galina is a highly ambitious young woman from Siberia who rises to fame after winning a pageant and becoming an actress. Despite achieving immense wealth and social status through her marriage to a powerful Russian oligarch, she remains profoundly attached to her teenage love, Kolya. Her life is often defined by the men who support or abandon her, making her a tragic but resilient figure.

Kolya is a reckless, volatile young man whose life is characterized by danger, violence, and a desperate drive to survive. He operates on the margins of society, dealing drugs and evading the law before becoming a soldier in the army. Despite his hardened, often brutal exterior, he shares a tender romance with Galina and a deep bond with his brother Alexei.

Alexei is a creative dreamer and an amateur DJ who copes with the harshness of Russian life by making mixtapes. Deeply impacted by the tragedies of his childhood and the looming shadow of mortality in his town, he idolizes his older brother. He serves as a romantic, reflective counterpoint to the violence surrounding him, clinging to art and memories for solace.

Ruslan is a self-deprecating art enthusiast tasked with the seemingly absurd job of attracting tourists to a war-torn Chechen city. Carrying immense trauma from the loss of his family, he copes by creating a small art museum in his apartment. He is deeply devoted to caring for Nadya, finding a sense of purpose and complex redemption in his efforts to help her.

Nadya is a resilient art restorer whose academic work focuses on the legacy of the censor artist Roman Markin. Even while vulnerable and blind from a bombing in Grozny, she maintains a strong intellectual and emotional presence. She serves as a grounding, gracious force for the people around her, offering them a path toward healing and clarity.

Sergei is a self-loathing and insecure young man who has inherited a life of crime from his father, Vladimir. Running phone scams out of cybercafés, he is a product of his harsh environment and views criminality as an inevitable fate. He struggles with feelings of rage and envy, yet harbors a complicated, desperate need for his father's affection and approval.

Vladimir is a seasoned criminal and con artist who passes his illicit skills down to his son, Sergei. Carrying lifelong trauma and anger over the fate of his father, Vaska, he is emotionally repressed and struggles to show genuine affection. Despite his tough exterior and harsh parenting, he longs for a sense of peace regarding his fractured family history.

Vaska is Roman Markin's brother and Vladimir's father. A man of unwavering religious faith, his refusal to abandon his beliefs puts him at odds with the Soviet authorities. His tragic fate casts a long shadow over multiple generations of his family.

Vera is a hardened woman living in the White Forest who carries a dark secret from her childhood regarding her own mother. Desperate for money to survive the harsh winters, she turns a blind eye to the illicit activities happening in her home, compromising her morals out of necessity and fear.

Lydia is Galina's childhood friend and Vera's daughter. Having escaped to California to live with an American partner, she returns to Russia only to find her mother embroiled in dangerous illicit activities. She is outspoken and unwilling to ignore the criminal behavior occurring in her childhood home.

Danilo is a former soldier who finds himself as a prisoner of war in the Caucasus mountains. He spends his days laboring in a garden for his captor, bonding with Kolya over shared fantasies and the grim reality of their captivity.

Known only by his immense wealth and status as the 13th-richest man in Russia, the Oligarch represents the ultimate symbol of capitalistic power in post-Soviet society. He provides Galina with a life of luxury, though his affections and support are conditional.

The Old Man is Ruslan's former father-in-law, a grieving survivor of the Chechen conflict who lost his daughter and grandson to a landmine. He copes with his devastating loss by taking prisoners of war and forcing them to cultivate life in the form of a garden in the war-torn environment.

Kirill is a vulnerable man who uses a wheelchair and begs for money in St. Petersburg. He becomes entangled in the criminal enterprises of Vladimir and his son Sergei, facing brutal consequences in their harsh, unforgiving world.

The Polish Ballerina is a mysterious and talented dancer whose image captures the imagination of a Soviet censor. Accused of being part of a spy ring, her legacy lives on through her granddaughter, who seeks to emulate her artistic grace.

Akim is a local guide in Grozny who assists Alexei. He helps the younger man travel through the unfamiliar and emotionally heavy terrain of the city.

Gilbert is an American piano tuner living in Glendale, California. He provides Lydia with a peaceful life far removed from the harsh realities of her Russian upbringing.

The Polish Tutor is a female instructor brought in to help Roman Markin make his forced confession believable. She becomes a rare source of human connection for him during his grueling solitary confinement.

The Seminarian is a fellow prisoner who taps coded messages to Roman Markin through the cell walls. His existence remains a profound mystery, representing the psychological toll of prolonged isolation.