Ibelin (film)

Ibelin is a 2024 Norwegian documentary by Benjamin Ree.

Content
The film documents the life of "Mats Steen, a Norwegian gamer who died of a degenerative muscular disease at the age of 25." The title comes from the name of a character in World of Warcraft.

Release
The film premiered on 19 January 2024 in the World Documentary Competition at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival where it won the Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary. Shortly after, Netflix acquired distribution rights to the film.

Reception
Variety praised the film, stating "It’s a world unto itself, and a glowing example of how moviemaking — like a person’s digital footprint — can be a form of immortality that soothes even the most devastating loss." Other reviews were also extremely positive. Cineeuropa found that Ree "ends up with a film that’s not about death; rather, it’s about friendship, love and life."