Ibelin
Benjamin Ree / Norway / 2024 / 104 min
A young Norwegian gamer with an unusual double life in 'World of Warcraft' turns out to be a true online superhero, much to his family's surprise. A genuinely moving film about transcending your disability and making a real difference in other people's lives.
Mats Steen is a young Norwegian gamer. He has muscular dystrophy, is in a wheelchair and is surrounded by carers around the clock. When Mats passes away at the age of 25, his loved ones are left grieving. Not only for his passing, but also for their belief that their disabled son only managed to live a lonely and isolated life without friends. But suddenly, condolences pour in online, and slowly the family realises that Mats’ life was filled with love and friendships on the internet, where he has lived a different life through his strong and heroic ‘World of Warcraft’ character Ibelin. Through reconstructed animations of Mats’ gameplay, interviews with his relatives, family home videos and blog posts, ‘Ibelin’ tells an adventurous and moving story of Mats’ life both online and offline, showing how online communities and relationships can transcend the boundaries of the physical world. The film won the Audience Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.