“The House That Rob Built” to be released next month
1/22/2021 10:31:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The University of Montana women's basketball documentary, "The House That Rob Built," co-directed by Jonathan Cipiti and UM alumna Megan Harrington, will be available nationwide starting Feb. 23.
The documentary chronicles the inspiring story of Robin Selvig, the pioneering coach of UM's Lady Griz basketball team.
In an era when gender discrimination in sports was the norm, Selvig built a house of inclusion and empowerment by recruiting female athletes from the ranches, farms and Native American reservations of Big Sky Country.
For nearly 40 years, these athletes would establish the preeminent women's basketball program west of the Rockies.
"With everything going on in the world today, I'm thrilled Montanans can watch our film in the comfort of their own homes," said Harrington, a former Lady Griz player.
Harrington, now based in Los Angeles, spent the last four years making the film. "The film celebrates that collective, positive spirit of Rob and the Lady Griz community. The fan base is in a league of its own."
The movie also shares the stories of former Lady Griz players who came to UM to play Division I basketball, earned a college degree and went on to have successful careers.
"To think that we were all from small towns, reservations, small ranch towns, pretty, pretty amazing," said Malia Kipp, who came from Browning, Mont., to play for the Lady Griz from 1992-1996.
According to Kipp, resources and opportunities were limited on the reservation, but everyone had basketball. Selvig fostered talent across the state, even in areas that were often overlooked, such as Kipp's hometown of Browning.
"Getting the opportunity to go to school on a Division I scholarship was amazing," she said.
"I feel so honored to be able to share the story of Coach Selvig and the impact he had on the lives and careers of so many women across Montana and beyond," said Harrington. "I grew up in small-town America, where the big ticket was the women's basketball game.
"I owe my opportunities to the women who blazed the trail for me and countless others, as well as Rob, for believing in the greatness of women athletes from the very beginning. Accumulating 865 wins in general, let alone at one school, is unbelievable."
Selvig ranks 10th on the list of winningest coaches in women's basketball history, touting a .752 winning percentage. Among those 10, he is the only one not in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.
The film premiered at the 2020 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in Missoula and is produced by Family Theater Productions in association with Windrider Productions, Five-Star Basketball x RTG Features, with distribution from 1091 Pictures.
"Coach Selvig deserves to be a household name in the pantheon of college basketball coaches," said Aron Phillips, COO at RTG Features. "We are very excited to partner on this empowering, female-driven sports film and to make sure it's seen by hoops fans worldwide."
Family Theater Productions documentary titles include "The Dating Project" and "Pray: The Story of Patrick Peyton." Both films were released theatrically. "Pray" opened this past October with digital release in December.
RTG is currently developing the scripted series "The Line" alongside Charles Barkley's Round Mound Media and is post-production on the docu-series "Promiseland," featuring NBA Rookie of the Year Ja Morant.
They also have the film "Gap Year" in release on digital platforms worldwide and are in post-production on an upcoming documentary on legendary basketball coach John Thompson and his Georgetown University program.
Pre-order for the film starts Jan. 28, with a full release on Feb. 23. For more information, visit TheHouseThatRobBuiltMovie.com
Family Theater Productions creates family media that inspires, entertains and informs. Founded in 1947 by Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C., and headquartered on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, Family Theater Productions is an award-winning producer of family media, including television, radio and short-format video for all the major social platforms.
Learn more at: www.FamilyTheater.org
The documentary chronicles the inspiring story of Robin Selvig, the pioneering coach of UM's Lady Griz basketball team.
In an era when gender discrimination in sports was the norm, Selvig built a house of inclusion and empowerment by recruiting female athletes from the ranches, farms and Native American reservations of Big Sky Country.
For nearly 40 years, these athletes would establish the preeminent women's basketball program west of the Rockies.
"With everything going on in the world today, I'm thrilled Montanans can watch our film in the comfort of their own homes," said Harrington, a former Lady Griz player.
Harrington, now based in Los Angeles, spent the last four years making the film. "The film celebrates that collective, positive spirit of Rob and the Lady Griz community. The fan base is in a league of its own."
The movie also shares the stories of former Lady Griz players who came to UM to play Division I basketball, earned a college degree and went on to have successful careers.
"To think that we were all from small towns, reservations, small ranch towns, pretty, pretty amazing," said Malia Kipp, who came from Browning, Mont., to play for the Lady Griz from 1992-1996.
According to Kipp, resources and opportunities were limited on the reservation, but everyone had basketball. Selvig fostered talent across the state, even in areas that were often overlooked, such as Kipp's hometown of Browning.
"Getting the opportunity to go to school on a Division I scholarship was amazing," she said.
"I feel so honored to be able to share the story of Coach Selvig and the impact he had on the lives and careers of so many women across Montana and beyond," said Harrington. "I grew up in small-town America, where the big ticket was the women's basketball game.
"I owe my opportunities to the women who blazed the trail for me and countless others, as well as Rob, for believing in the greatness of women athletes from the very beginning. Accumulating 865 wins in general, let alone at one school, is unbelievable."
Selvig ranks 10th on the list of winningest coaches in women's basketball history, touting a .752 winning percentage. Among those 10, he is the only one not in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.
The film premiered at the 2020 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in Missoula and is produced by Family Theater Productions in association with Windrider Productions, Five-Star Basketball x RTG Features, with distribution from 1091 Pictures.
"Coach Selvig deserves to be a household name in the pantheon of college basketball coaches," said Aron Phillips, COO at RTG Features. "We are very excited to partner on this empowering, female-driven sports film and to make sure it's seen by hoops fans worldwide."
Family Theater Productions documentary titles include "The Dating Project" and "Pray: The Story of Patrick Peyton." Both films were released theatrically. "Pray" opened this past October with digital release in December.
RTG is currently developing the scripted series "The Line" alongside Charles Barkley's Round Mound Media and is post-production on the docu-series "Promiseland," featuring NBA Rookie of the Year Ja Morant.
They also have the film "Gap Year" in release on digital platforms worldwide and are in post-production on an upcoming documentary on legendary basketball coach John Thompson and his Georgetown University program.
Pre-order for the film starts Jan. 28, with a full release on Feb. 23. For more information, visit TheHouseThatRobBuiltMovie.com
Family Theater Productions creates family media that inspires, entertains and informs. Founded in 1947 by Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C., and headquartered on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, Family Theater Productions is an award-winning producer of family media, including television, radio and short-format video for all the major social platforms.
Learn more at: www.FamilyTheater.org
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