‘I Is Another’ Tackles Nazi Leadership in New Locarno Debut, Actor Martin Müller on Playing Heinrich Himmler

A new feature film centered on Nazi-era leadership is set to debut at the Locarno Film Festival, with actor Martin Müller describing the particular burden of portraying Heinrich Himmler in the film “I Is Another.” The Hollywood Reporter reported that Müller discussed his approach to embodying a figure associated with the crimes of the Third Reich as audiences and festival organizers weigh how historical evil is framed on screen.

Müller stars in “I Is Another,” which The Hollywood Reporter described as featuring Claes Bang and Valerie Pachner. The film’s Locarno premiere is part of the festival’s 2026 schedule, and the reported conversation around the project has focused on whether putting a notorious villain at the center of a character-driven story risks inadvertently amplifying that figure.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, director Felix Randau said he heard concerns that the movie might give a platform to Himmler. Randau’s response, as reported, emphasized the importance of confronting wrongdoing rather than avoiding it, saying, “If you ignore evil, it will grow in the dark.” The exchange reflects a wider cultural debate about representation in film, particularly when directors are asked to show historical perpetrators without romanticizing them.

In the same coverage, Müller’s remarks highlighted the personal and professional considerations involved in playing a man whose name is closely tied to mass violence and state terror. While the report focuses on Müller’s experience, it also frames the casting and performance challenge as an extension of the film’s broader responsibility to historical context and to viewer interpretation.

The Hollywood Reporter’s account situates “I Is Another” within the festival context, where new films are often tested publicly in front of critics, industry participants, and general audiences. Locarno has become known for featuring daring subject matter, and the reporting indicates that the Himmler casting and the director’s stated rationale have become part of the pre-premiere discussion.

The film’s debut also arrives at a time when mainstream entertainment companies face renewed scrutiny around the treatment of extremist figures and historical atrocities. In that environment, festival premieres can shape subsequent publicity, press coverage, and audience expectations, potentially affecting how distributors consider marketing and how broadcasters and streaming platforms decide on age ratings and content advisories.

As “I Is Another” prepares for Locarno, the question at the center of the coverage is not only whether the film will depict Himmler, but how the project will manage the line between characterization and critique. With reported comments from both director Randau and actor Müller already entering the public record, the festival premiere is likely to produce additional commentary about the film’s handling of sensitive material and the responsibilities of artists working in that space.