In January 2024, “The Extraordinary Journey of Ibelin” made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival, catching the attention of Netflix for global distribution. Currently nominated for the 2025 Academy Awards, Benjamin Ree’s documentary recounts the life story of Mats Steen, a young Norwegian who passed away at age 25 due to Duchenne muscular dystrophy, an incurable and hereditary neuromuscular disorder.
Robert and Trude, his parents, initially thought their son spent his last years secluded, immersed in the World of Warcraft game for thousands of hours as the charismatic blonde character “Ibelin.” However, upon announcing his passing on his blog, they uncovered that he had impacted countless lives through his virtual persona.
Initially, Robert and Trude believed their son spent his final years alone, engrossed in the World of Warcraft game for thousands of hours as the popular character “Ibelin.” But upon sharing the news of his death on his blog, they realized that he had left a mark on numerous lives through his virtual presence.
Director Ree compiled the narrative of how Mats discovered camaraderie, affection, and meaning in a digital realm that his parents seldom grasped, using family videos, personal blog posts, and reenacted gameplay footage.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ingvil Giske, producer of the film “Robert, Trude, Ree, and Ibelin,” detailed the arduous path this small Norwegian production took to reach the big screen. Remarkably, they created a movie using some of the world’s most popular video game intellectual properties without initial permission, and their goal is for this film to stimulate conversations between different generations. “Many parents are unaware about gaming, one of the main activities their kids engage in. I hope that one of the results from this movie will be that parents can start having meaningful discussions with their children on this topic.
Following Mat’s unfortunate demise, his narrative was shared as an article on NRK’s online platform, Norway’s public broadcaster. Within a week, approximately 20% of the country’s populace had read it. It created quite a stir, indeed.
I stumbled upon an exceptional article on my social media timeline that moved me deeply. I believe it’s one of the finest feature articles I’ve ever come across. Initially, the idea of creating a documentary didn’t cross my mind. However, Matt’s uncle was once my teacher at school. After reaching out to him, he shared that his brother, Matt’s father Robert, had filmed Matt’s entire life on VHS tapes from the day he was born until recently. This intrigued me, so I got in touch with Robert and requested permission to digitize the tapes and examine their contents.
ROBERT STEEN Numerous directors and production companies expressed interest in making our story into a film, but we refused them all because we foresaw it would be an emotionally challenging project, potentially reopening old wounds and memories. We wanted to ensure the right individual was chosen for this sensitive task. My younger brother, who had previously taught Benjamin at school, suggested that Benjamin would be someone trustworthy enough to tackle such a responsibility.
Instead of striking a deal, Robert simply dropped by with some VHS tapes. I then began to digitize them. The initial footage I viewed showed Mats playing as an infant in his playpen, and next to him was a baby who bore a striking resemblance to me as a baby. Then I saw my father present. It suddenly dawned on me: That was me as a baby! My parents and Mats’ parents were part of the same circle of friends back in the 80s.
I share an unique bond with Benjamin, as we were both brought into the world at the same hospital, just a week apart. While he was seven days my junior, our births have created a special connection between us that feels like we’ve grown up together.
It’s not that I’m particularly spiritual, but that incident seemed oddly significant. Later on, I discovered that Mats had authored a blog and had shared the password with his loved ones before passing away.
ROBERT STEEN Mats shared with us that he was playing games with others, however, it seemed to us as though these individuals were not acquainted with Mats, since they had never interacted in person or verbally.
Following his passing, our inbox was filled with numerous emails. We found ourselves puzzled, thinking, “Who could these strangers be?
ROBERT STEEN Over the past decade, it’s estimated that he has invested around 20,000 hours into the gaming realm. His life appeared quite confined as playing for 12 hours a day left little room for anything else. He hardly had time to socialize with friends. Our greatest sadness stemmed from the realization that he would never know the joy of love, friendship, or the ability to impact others positively in their lives.
It was then that I discovered Starlight, the gaming group of Mats’ friend, had kept a collection of their online role-play conversations as transcripts. This revelation sparked my idea to simulate a real-life avatar existence for Mats, who had essentially spent his childhood within the game [World of Warcraft].
I’m particularly fond of stories about growth and self-discovery, and I found myself pondering: Couldn’t we narrate Mats’ journey of maturation within the film itself, using the animated segment set in the game as a backdrop? This way, Mats could experience growth, learn lessons, and even make mistakes – all taking place within the confines of the game. Interestingly enough, our extensive digital archive seemed to anticipate this idea, as it meticulously documented Mats’ fictional journey of maturation within the game itself.
As far as I’m aware, this movie marks the initial effort to depict a genuine avatar life, narrated in a retrospective manner, with voice actors reciting dialogues that were literally transcribed from Mats and his companions. The 3D animation serves as a dramatization or reconstruction, yet it is grounded in real characters, occurrences, and settings. We possess precise information about what was said, when, and where within the game.
INGVIL GISKE, FILM PRODUCER, THE EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY OF IBELIN: At first glance, there seemed to be no obstacles in creating this film; it was simply an intriguing tale we wanted to tell. I often find myself underestimating the complexity of tasks – perhaps my naivety is what aids me in documentary production. If individuals truly grasped how daunting things could become, many documentaries might never come to fruition.
Creating this movie was incredibly tough. It took a lot of effort to turn this coming-of-age story into an animation. We spent two years editing the film, but after one year, it wasn’t quite hitting the mark. The interviews with family and friends, along with the talking heads, worked well in a traditional documentary format, but viewers found it hard to connect emotionally with Ibelin, the character from World of Warcraft that Mats transforms into. People were already invested in Mats, but not so much in Ibelin.
Initially, I decided to transform the structure of the movie. I drew inspiration from “Absalom, Absalom!” by William Faulkner and “Citizen Kane,” to craft a narrative style that presents various viewpoints on Mats’ tale, even incorporating Mats’ own perspective into it.
Initially, you’re introduced to Mats’ story through the accounts of his parents, and the movie follows a conventional structure with interviews and family footage. However, upon revisiting his tale, we adopt Mats’ perspective using an actor reading excerpts from his blog as a narration. This segment is more like an essay or stream-of-consciousness, adopting a style typically found in art documentaries. Later, the narrative delves into the gaming world, transforming into 3D animation, and we hear from Mats’ friends about their experiences with him. The film’s format undergoes a complete transformation at this point. This new approach seems to have been successful.
We’ve never directly interacted with Activision Blizzard, the corporation that manages World of Warcraft. However, various game models can be found online, along with a massive community of YouTube creators who produce fan content using the game’s characters and visual elements.
As a gamer, I stumbled upon an animator named Rasmus Tukia in Stockholm who left me awestruck with his exceptional animation quality. I assumed he was leading a big animation company, but it turned out to be just him. By day, he was a student and a warehouse worker; by night, he transformed into an animator, turning his parent’s home office into his creative haven.
Over the course of two years, Rasmus dedicated countless hours to bringing his film to life, working from the comforts of his mother’s house. Our days were filled with creativity and hard work, only interrupted by his mother calling out for dinner – always lasagna! After a quick meal, we’d return to our animation tasks, eagerly awaiting the next day’s progress.
It appeared risky, yet necessary, to employ Blizzard’s intellectual property without permission, due to lack of alternatives. The movie simply wouldn’t exist if it were completely under a brand’s control. To maintain its independence, it was essential.
This film is remarkable. You have our permission.” Activision Blizzard has been supportive, but they’ve had no editorial influence. We always maintained final editing rights. I must acknowledge Ingvil. She’s more courageous than I am. She had the audacity to say, “We will create the film and ask for approval afterwards.”>
This movie offers a fresh perspective on gaming, contrasting with the largely negative portrayals commonly found in media. Instead, it presents an optimistic narrative. If the creators of “World of Warcraft” had significant input, its success might not have seemed surprising. However, this film’s credibility as a documentary wouldn’t be compromised by such involvement.
ROBERT STEEN Right from the start, Benjamin shared every aspect of filmmaking with us throughout the four years he worked on it. This allowed us to mentally prepare ourselves for revisiting this tale. It was an integral part of our healing process. The first time he screened the movie for us, it lasted an hour and a half. He advised us to allocate three hours for viewing, explaining that we would be alone in the room. He recommended having water and plenty of tissues on hand.
10 years have rolled by since his departure, but the void left behind remains as profound as ever. I’ve watched that movie more times than I can count, and every time his image flickers across the screen, I’m gripped by an irresistible longing to reach out and bring him back home. Yet, in discovering the countless tales of kindness he bestowed upon others, we’ve gained a deeper insight into what truly defined Mats’ life.
ROBERT STEEN In my opinion, we considered ourselves as part of the greatest generation of parents who have ever existed. We attended all parental meetings and events, always present in our children’s lives. However, there was an aspect that escaped us: the digital side of their lives. We spent a mere five minutes considering this, followed by years of criticism. But we were mistaken. Mats lived a more enriched and fulfilling life than what we perceived. He had friends, experienced love, and left an impression on people’s lives.
The movie, in some sense, provided an answer to a significant question we’ve pondered over the past 25 years: Given the circumstances Mats was born with and lived through during those years, how did he maintain his zest, optimism, joy, and wonder? This had left us perplexed until his passing. It wasn’t until the decade following his death that we truly came to understand his story.
We’ve always prioritized premiering this movie in Norwegian theaters ahead of its global release on Netflix, as Mats Steen’s tale resonates deeply here, and we were eager to gauge the audience’s response. The result was nothing short of spectacular.
REE Some 120,000 Norwegians saw this film in theaters [for a box office of around $1.3 million].
GISKE We have five million people total in the country, so that’s a lot.
The most heartwarming responses I’ve received after screening the movie in Norwegian cinemas have been people approaching me and expressing that watching the film made them feel inspired to embrace their loved ones and tell them how much they care. Gamers and teenagers alike have expressed interest in sharing the experience with their parents by inviting them to watch the movie.
Immediately following its premiere, we organized matinee screenings specifically for the elderly, which quickly ran out of tickets. These seniors were interested in the film as they wished to comprehend their grandchildren’s online activities. Afterward, they returned to the cinemas with their grandchildren to rewatch the movie together. It was realized that this wasn’t merely a film for gamers; it was a narrative about friendship and community. The enthusiasm surrounding its success has been palpable as it resonated with people of all generations.
ROBERT STEEN The Norwegian government has entrusted me with heading a team of experts, focusing on understanding how the digital world affects individuals from birth to age 19, encompassing education, social interaction, mental and physical wellbeing, and more. Many are taken aback by a 62-year-old’s optimistic view on screen time, but Mats’ tale has made me realize I underestimated its potential. We failed to pay attention to the digital narratives of our children, disregarding them entirely. And in doing so, we erred.
In Norway today, approximately 8 out of 10 children aged 16 and under engage in online gaming for over an hour daily, making it the dominant leisure activity outside of school. Interestingly, a similar proportion of parents, around 80%, admit to having little or no knowledge about what online gaming entails, suggesting that many parents are unaware of one of their children’s primary activities.
It’d be great if the film could inspire conversations between parents and their kids about some topics that weren’t discussed with the character Mats. Underneath Mats’ tale, and the movie itself, lies a message of optimism and possibilities.
A 93-year-old individual watched the movie at a local cinema in Oslo and subsequently emailed us, expressing his viewpoint: Mats possessed an extraordinary ability. His ability was to fully utilize the life he received. Can any of us claim that we have maximized our own lives in the same way?
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2025-01-11 18:55