19-25 January
2026
Mats has a muscular disease. Days and nights are spent in front of the computer screen, and his parents mourn their son's lonely life.
This is the documentary film about the gamer Mats Steen, who died of Duchenne muscular dystrophy at the young age of 25. In this documentary, we follow Mats' progressively worsening health and his flourishing life in World of Warcraft, a virtual gaming world where he could be someone entirely different. The film recreates the rich life that Mats' avatar, "Ibelin," lived in the gaming world. Everything is based on real events and dialogues taken from World of Warcraft.
Documentary filmmaker Benjamin Ree has interviewed the family and friends Mats connected with during the 15,000 to 20,000 hours he spent in the virtual gaming world. Along with scenes from the game, a touching portrait is painted of a young man who lived a full life despite a limiting illness.
Benjamin Ree (b. 1989) is a Norwegian director, known for his documentary features Magnus (2016) and The Artist and the Thief (2020).
2020 The Painter and the Thief
2016 Magnus
2012 Dreaming of the Golden Eagle
Kl 19:15
Kulturhuset
Kl 12:00
Fokus 1
Kl 09:15
Fokus 2 (Bonordsalen)
Programme: | Focus Norway |
Director: | Benjamin Ree |
Country: | Norway |
Year: | 2024 |
Run time: | 1h 44m |
Dialogue: | Norwegian, English |
Subtitles: | English |
Producer: | Ingvil Giske |
Source: | Euforia film |