The true story of Ibelin: Netflix documentary about WoW player’s inspiring life

A new Netflix documentary, Ibelin, tells the heartwarming true story of World of Warcraft player, Mats Steen. It gently uncovers a poignant tale about a young man and the meaningful connections he forged through the game to help him live life to the fullest.

Netflix is home to a slew of acclaimed documentaries that give viewers a glimpse at extraordinary places, highlight important issues, or share valuable lessons learned through the lived experience of others.

Documentaries like Icarus, The White Helmets and Take Care of Maya have each offered viewers their own deep dive into the human condition and what people are capable of.

Netflix’s newest documentary, Ibelin, is no different. Recently premiered at 2024’s Sundance Film Festival, it’s set to hit the streaming service in March. Here’s what it’s all about.

What is Ibelin about? Netflix documentary explained

Directed by award-winning filmmaker, Benjamin Ree, Ibelin tells the story of Norwegian gamer, Mats Steen through the eyes of his parents, the people who knew him, and through the chat logs, character files, and animations of his World of Warcraft character, Ibelin Redmoore.

As per Tudum: “Ibelin, a documentary by filmmaker Benjamin Ree, takes a posthumous deep dive into Steen’s digital life, interviewing his best friends and competitors and plumbing Steen’s own archives.”

The heartwarming true story behind Ibelin

The new Netflix documentary from filmmaker, Benjamin Ree, tells the story of Mats Steen, or Ibelin Redmoore. A young World of Warcraft player who suffered from a degenerative muscular disease. Steen was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy at a young age.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a rare muscle disorder that causes the muscles of the body to degenerate. There is no cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which is more common in males. After living with the effects of his condition his entire life, Steen died at age 25.

His parents mourned the loss of their son, but they also mourned what they imagined had been a lonely life set apart from others. However, they couldn’t have been more wrong

Using a blend of different techniques Ibelin, takes viewers on a journey through Steen’s surprisingly colorful life in WoW. And illustrates the power of online community. Its capacity to connect us, comfort us, and teach us how to celebrate life.

Steen had left behind passwords to his online accounts. After his parents updated his blog with the news of his passing, messages began to arrive. These messages came from people all over the world, people whose lives Steen had touched.

Through them, and alongside Steen’s parents, viewers learn the story of a vibrant and much-loved player. One who made a huge impact on the lives of many whom he met in the digital world of Azeroth. Steen passed away in 2014. Every year since, his death his guild mates have held an in-game memorial to honor how much he meant to them.

Through a series of interviews and archival footage, Ree shows viewers how those closest to Steen viewed him. It’s heart-wrenching and beautiful cinema. But that isn’t where Ree leaves the story either.

The life of Ibelin in Azeroth

Thanks to a team of animators and a trove of Steen’s own records, including his campaigns, blog posts, and chat logs, viewers have the opportunity to see how Steen saw himself.

Here viewers are treated to Steen’s antics and actions in the game. Alongside his raw and witty observations in his blog. A picture emerges of Steen, through his life as Ibelin, giving his parents a chance to see how he lived a life to the fullest, despite his circumstances.

“We cried and cried from an intense emotional joy that came from seeing what kind of a life Mats had in fact lived.” Said his parents. “With real friends, sweethearts, people who cared so much that they would fly from another country to the funeral service of someone they had never met. That was powerful.”

At its heart, Ibelin is a powerful and moving documentary about the connections we forge in spite of circumstance and distance.