Gilles (played by Nahuel Pérez Biscayart) is a protagonist in Persian Lessons.
A Belgian Jewish prisoner who fakes being Persian to survive. He invents a fake language for the camp deputy commandant, uses a ledger of executed prisoners as a mnemonic device, and ultimately survives to testify by reciting the names of the dead to American officers. Max (played by Jonas Nay) appears in Persian Lessons.
A camp section leader who suspects Gilles's deception and warns Koch. He enforces camp discipline by killing a prisoner who threatens to expose the lie, and later reports Koch's unauthorized actions to the commandant, only to be dismissed. Elsa (played by Leonie Benesch) appears in Persian Lessons.
A female camp guard temporarily replaced as book-keeper due to complaints about Koch's behavior. She is falsely suspected of spreading rumors about the commandant and subsequently transferred to the Russian front. German soldier (played by Oleg Veber) appears in Persian Lessons.
Persian Lessons (2020) character relationship network mapped with AI analysis. Explore the connections, alliances, and conflicts between characters.
Characters
Gilles
(played by Nahuel Pérez Biscayart) — protagonist
A Belgian Jewish prisoner who fakes being Persian to survive. He invents a fake language for the camp deputy commandant, uses a ledger of executed prisoners as a mnemonic device, and ultimately surviv...
Max
(played by Jonas Nay) — supporting
A camp section leader who suspects Gilles's deception and warns Koch. He enforces camp discipline by killing a prisoner who threatens to expose the lie, and later reports Koch's unauthorized actions t...
Elsa
(played by Leonie Benesch) — supporting
A female camp guard temporarily replaced as book-keeper due to complaints about Koch's behavior. She is falsely suspected of spreading rumors about the commandant and subsequently transferred to the R...
German soldier
(played by Oleg Veber) — minor
Key Relationships
Elsa → German soldier
(Professional Guard)
Max → German soldier
(Power Commander)
Max → Elsa
(Conflict Rival)
Gilles → Elsa
(Social Fellow Inmate)
Gilles → Max
(Narrative Deceiver)
Gilles → German soldier
(Conflict Captured By)
Story Analysis
A Jewish prisoner fabricates a language to survive a Nazi concentration camp, ultimately using memorized names to bear witness to atrocities.
