The Butterfly Room

Introverted and controlling, Ann treats her home as a sanctuary where a private butterfly world operates under strict surveillance. Her calm exterior masks a volatile capacity for manipulation and violence, as she lures and harms those who threaten her carefully constructed space. Flashbacks reveal the roots of her obsession and past traumas that warped affection into domination.

Dorothy is the protective daughter who confronts Ann to safeguard Julie, haunted by revelations about Ann’s past. She emerges as a steady, determined force amid escalating danger, willing to confront the true nature of Ann’s fixation. Her presence anchors the film’s emotional core and shifts the balance between protection and vengeance.

A curious and vulnerable girl, Julie becomes entangled in Ann’s dangerous world while seeking belonging and safety. Her discoveries in the butterfly room drive the plot forward and push the adults toward a decisive confrontation. Julie survives the ordeal and is ultimately adopted by Dorothy, marking a fragile turn toward new guardianship.

Claudia is Julie’s pregnant mother and a neighbor drawn into the tension around Ann’s sanctuary. She attempts to maintain normalcy and watchfulness but cannot fully resist Ann’s influence, leading to a climactic clash that ends in tragedy. Her involvement heightens the stakes and intensifies the narrative’s domestic dread.

Nick is the workman’s boss who becomes entangled in the dangerous dynamics around Ann. His presence and practical concerns—like construction and legality—intersect with Ann’s volatile control, and his actions contribute to the mounting crisis. He represents ordinary life pressed into an extraordinary, perilous situation.

Alice is a lonely mall acquaintance who forms a cautious bond with Ann. Her offers of trust and reciprocation reveal the fragile boundaries Ann tests, and her interactions foreshadow the danger lurking behind Ann’s charisma. Alice’s presence underscores the film’s theme of vulnerability within manipulation.

Olga is connected to the mall-based flashbacks and the broader web of people around Ann. Her involvement becomes a focal point that triggers the film’s violent turn, illustrating the deadly consequences of Ann’s control over those she encounters. Her demise marks a turning point in the narrative’s escalation.

A younger version of Dorothy appears in flashbacks, revealing the origin of Ann’s abandonment and the deep-seated history that fuels present conflicts. This character helps clarify the personal stakes behind the maternal tensions shaping the story.