Haňt’a is a solitary wastepaper compactor who operates a hydraulic press in a dark Prague cellar. He quietly rescues and reads valuable books from the discarded materials, building a massive, precarious collection of texts in his apartment. He relies on heavy beer drinking to fuel his reflections and copes with the grime of his daily labor by creating artistically arranged bales of paper.

Ilonka is a young Romani woman who shares a meaningful period of Haňt’a's past. She possesses a simple, youthful vitality that contrasts directly with his world-weary introspection. She tends to his fire, cooks simple meals, and shares quiet, joyful moments with him.

Manča is a robust, free-spirited woman from Haňt’a's youth who approaches life with raw, earthy vitality. Unlike Haňt’a, she shows no interest in books or intellectual pursuits, favoring practical achievements and direct experiences. Despite suffering humiliating public incidents, she maintains her dignity and an unrestrained zest for life.

The manager at the wastepaper facility where Haňt’a works. He prioritizes industrial efficiency and productivity over the careful, personal approach Haňt’a takes to compacting paper. He frequently berates his employee for drinking and working too slowly.

Haňt’a's uncle is a retired railroad man who recreates his former work environment on his personal property. He installs a small locomotive and signal tower in his garden, spending his retirement immersed in nostalgic activities and drinking with his friends.

Haňt’a's mother is a figure from his past whose cremation shapes his understanding of destruction and transformation. Her ashes are scattered in a garden by her brother, an event Haňt’a observes with stoic composure.

Frantík is the sacristan of the Holy Trinity church in Prague. He shares Haňt’a's deep appreciation for literature and eagerly receives the rare volumes Haňt’a smuggles out of the wastepaper facility over many years.

Hedvička is a young salesgirl who crosses paths with the manager of the wastepaper facility. She is subjected to inappropriate touching from him, a situation that disgusts onlookers.

An older artist who lives with Manča in a nearby village. He dedicates his time to carving a massive statue of an angel as a monument to her life and loves.