Ibelin: La vie remarquable d'un gamer

Well, Rarely do i find a documentary that shreds me to the core.

It's great in it's simplicity, but this true story hits you to the core on an international level. A must see for every parent and educator who is afraid of the online gaming community.

Now, I rarely get emotional these days, it has been a few years since I have tears run down my face during such a long time. The documentary hits every chord it touches, for me at least. True, when you look at the story objectively, and take all the emotional items out of it, it is a story so cliché that it borders on the sickening delights of a cheap RomCom. It follows exactly the same story line one could imagine in a movie of that kind. Yet the true story and the testimonies of his family and the online community give it a message that hits home hard.

Personally I was touched as my life has many similarities to our hero, but for quite different reasons and for sure I am not a hero, Mats is! In every single definition of the word.

May there be many Ibelin's in this world, and the online worlds, and I hope 'World of Warcraft' erects a statue in Azeroth (or names the 30 minute route he ran every day) to the exceptional person that was Mats "Ibelin" Steen, and may they produce a full scale movie about his and his characters life with all profits going to the research of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Ibelin is a deeply moving documentary that beautifully captures the unexpected ways people connect in the digital world. It tells the story of Mats Steen, a young Norwegian gamer who passed away at 25 from a degenerative muscular disease. His parents, who believed Mats lived a lonely and isolated life, were overwhelmed when they started receiving heartfelt messages from his online friends around the globe. Through these messages, the film reveals how gaming gave Mats a sense of belonging and deep friendships that defied the physical limitations of his condition.

Watching Ibelin was an emotional experience; almost everyone in the theater, including us, was in tears. The film is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, as it shows how Mats' life, though marked by illness, was filled with meaningful connections. It challenges the idea that a fulfilling life must look a certain way and reminds us that friendship and love can flourish in the most unexpected places. This story has left a lasting impression on us and is hands down our favourite at MIFF this year.

This documentary is absolutely one of the most heart-wrenching documentaries that I've ever seen that really shines true to my personal experiences and connections that I've made and playing World of Warcraft. Good friend of mine, Sightblinder, passed away after knowing him for nearly 10 years playing World of Warcraft, but his impact lives true within me.

True connection takes place only with genuine intention and complete compassion and empathy for those who you are connecting with... and in the world is distracting as what we have today, we don't find many like Ibelin.

I think we all hope one day to have the impact that Ibelin did, and forever may he RIP.

RIP Ibelin, AKA Mats.

RIP Sightblinder aka Dan Borges.

This is probably the most unprofessional but honest review I have given on IMDB. This was a beautiful story amazingly animated and curated to understand his nature and impact in how the digital age can still grip and touch us all. As someone who has constant Existential fears and worries around death. The story of Ibelin reminded me of the purpose we all share in this life, is our relationship with each other, how love and respect helps eachother to grow, and that if we open our hearts and allow each other to embrace both our gifts and our flaws, we can share something special regardless of the canvas our senses create.

I went to the cinema yesterday without knowing too much about the story, except it being very emotionally moving, and left it a feeling of gratefuleness.

This movie displays the story of a young man who had to live his life with a severe muscular disease, that eventually took him. Due to his incapability of taking part in life in the real world, he chose to spent it mostly digitally in World of Warcraft. In this virtual world he was not limited by his disease and could do things, that he was not able to do otherwise.

This documentary displays is life in WoW and how he affected others. It is a very moving story and I could imagine it to be eye opening, especially for elder people, who might not have a perception of how much a virtual world can impact people.

I consider myself a gamer as well, not particularly a roleplayer, but a gamer and thereby I know, how beautiful games can be and how they can yield relationships. With that perspective in mind, I also was moved by the story. Rest in Peace Ibelin.