Before he passed away in 2014, Norwegian gamer, Mats Steen left his online password to his parents, Trude and Robert. After using this password to access Mats’ blog, they were shocked to discover the life he had built for himself online.
Although they believed Mats was somewhat of a loner, a result of a health condition, this was far from the truth. Mats was surrounded by friends, many of whom he helped in their daily lives, and he was something of a legend to those who knew him.
Over the next few days, a legion of people reached out to offer their condolences to Trude and Robert. With each message, they started to gain a true picture of who their son was and the life he led in the digital realm.
Directed by Benjamin Ree, The Remarkable Life of Ibelin is a unique and fascinating documentary film about Mats Steen. Born with a rare and incurable muscle disease known as Duchenne, Mats had a challenging life filled with hardships.
Yet, despite the problems Mats faced, his life was also full of love, laughter, and friendship. For eight years Mats was part of an online community where he was able to chat and interact with likeminded people, all via his gaming avatar, Ibelin Redmoore.
As Ibelin, Mats built up countless friendships and became an excellent listener. He also found endless freedoms which didn’t exist to him in the real world.
Utilising information from Mats’ blog, along with input from friends and family, as well as various photos, old home videos, and animations, The Remarkable Life of Ibelin presents an insightful look at what an online life can really mean. To some, the digital world is simply a place to buy groceries or scroll through social media, yet for others it offers access to the unimaginable.
For Mats, the real world was extremely limiting, but the online space was an enriching playground. Here he could reshape his world, live out his fantasies, and become more than just his disability.
As explained by Mats, “in this other world, a girl wouldn’t see a wheelchair or anything different. They would get my soul, heart, and mind, conveniently placed in a handsome, strong body.”
Touching, interesting, and truly compelling, The Remarkable Life of Ibelin is an eye-opening docu-film. It throws the spotlight on the life of someone who existed in two worlds, and made the most out of each.
Using his experiences from his personal life, Mats was able to help people online. He proved that inner strength and beauty can shine through and that physical appearance is not the be-all or end-all.
It isn’t always plain sailing, and The Remarkable Life of Ibelin demonstrates the continual challenges Mats faced, but ultimately this is a story of overcoming adversity and finding your own little place where you feel comfortable. Should you wish to check out this docu-film for yourself, it is now streaming on Netflix.
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