There is a good chance that anyone reading this has left a substantial digital footprint at this point in their life. For many, the idea of someone discovering the digital trail we left may be unnerving. We may have left a mark on the world in a digital sense, but it may not be one we are proud of. In many cases, it probably won’t be the one you’d like to be representative of what is remembered of you. For some, though, the digital space is the only place they could truly be themselves. The Remarkable Life of Ibelin is a powerful documentary by director Benjamin Ree that follows the digital footprints of Mats Steen, and the incredible impact he made on those who walked beside him.
Mats was a Norwegian gamer who died at the young age of 25 because of Duchenne, which is a degenerative muscular disease. His parents loved their son but mourned what they assumed had been a lonely life full of isolation. They decided to leave a final post on Mats’s blog that he had passed – and soon, they started receiving messages from online friends around the world.
The way Ree structures the story makes it both compelling and emotionally devastating. The above summary is all showcased at the beginning of the film, but additional layers are peeled back, helping give context to the letters. One of the most inspired decisions was to bring the movie into Mats’s “real” world. It merges traditional documentary filmmaking with an innovative animation that allows the avatar Mats was able to freely express himself and live to come to life once again. It shows that there are many ways to experience life, love, and happiness.
The gaming life and the world of virtual avatars may seem weird from the outside looking in, but the experiences the people shared were as real as any other. When the film explores the connections that Mats made in this virtual space, they are some of the most emotional pieces of storytelling put to the medium. The juxtaposition of Mats in the real world having to use a special rig to navigate his computer and the game against his avatar doing laps, flirting, and offering life advice is undeniable. There is qualitative evidence in this film that true impact and relationships can be established and cultivated through a virtual space.
Mats expresses at least one time in the context of the film that he did not want to be pitied. There is a chance someone could watch this film and feel bad that Mats didn’t get to have a longer life or experience some of the ups and downs in the way someone else may have. However, the film encourages us not to feel sorry that he didn’t get to have a “normal” life but instead encourages us to celebrate the life he lived. This film is a true monument to him and the goodness that humanity can offer. It doesn’t paint Mats as a flawless angel. On the contrary, it shows the good and bad. Mats is human, and the film doesn’t try to show anything more than that.
There is beauty in the world, no matter how bad it can seem. The Remarkable Life of Ibelin is a prime example of the empathy machine that Roger Ebert said movies can be. The film is an innovative blend of animation and documentary that brings the story to life. It allows the audience a chance to see the totality of someone’s life and the impact they had on those they encountered. For some, our digital footprints may be a source of shame that we hope will soon be forgotten. However, for Mats, it allowed his parents to discover the impact and mark he left on the world that they otherwise wouldn’t have known. It is a stunning reminder of the beauty that may be found in unexpected places.
The Remarkable Life of Ibelin will be on Netflix on October 25.
Rating: 5/5
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