--- title: Native Ball Film | Family Theater Productions description: Breaking barriers on and off the court, Native Ball Film showcases Malia Kipp's historic rise from reservation life to basketball excellence. Watch now! image: https://www.familytheater.org/hubfs/FamilyTheater%20Website/Native%20Ball/NBBSDFF_4.jpg --- [![Poster for "Native Ball: Legacy of a Trailblazer" by Family Theater Productions, featuring festival accolades and a basketball scene.](https://www.familytheater.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Updated%20NB%20WEB%20Banner%20Award%20with%20PBS%20LOGO%20(3).jpg?width=2000&height=1000&name=Updated%20NB%20WEB%20Banner%20Award%20with%20PBS%20LOGO%20(3).jpg "Poster for \"Native Ball: Legacy of a Trailblazer\" by Family Theater Productions, featuring festival accolades and a basketball scene.")](https://www.familytheater.org/nativeball) # **NATIVE BALL: LEGACY OF A TRAILBLAZER** ## **SEE ON PBS NATIONWIDE** Subscribe Below For Updates # SEE ON PBS AFFILIATES NATIONWIDE IN NOVEMBER 2023 Subscribe Below For Updates [![SEE TRAILER](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/57170512-dc0f-4be5-a256-61e8a502e5a9.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/57170512-dc0f-4be5-a256-61e8a502e5a9) [![WHERE TO WATCH](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/6c4ec0e5-70e5-44ee-a014-8ae8074ee763.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/6c4ec0e5-70e5-44ee-a014-8ae8074ee763) [![PRESS ROOM](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/9d1477af-2422-403c-9ddb-f26fc4d021a9.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/9d1477af-2422-403c-9ddb-f26fc4d021a9) [![HOST SCREENING](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/698ce024-8734-4261-8049-015263e1fe22.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/698ce024-8734-4261-8049-015263e1fe22) ![4 women 1_1](https://www.familytheater.org/hubfs/FamilyTheater%20Website/Native%20Ball/4%20women%201_1.jpg) ![Malia Kipp and Robin Selvig](https://www.familytheater.org/hubfs/FamilyTheater%20Website/Native%20Ball/Malia%20Kipp%20and%20Robin%20Selvig.jpg) ![BTS Court 1_1](https://www.familytheater.org/hubfs/FamilyTheater%20Website/Native%20Ball/BTS%20Court%201_1.jpg) ##### THE FILM Annually, nearly 5,000 high school girls' basketball players earn a full-ride Division I scholarship. In 1992, only one was Native American: Blackfeet Nation’s Malia Kipp. Living in two worlds presented challenges and so did the pressure to succeed as a University of Montana Lady Griz. Through the support of her family and community, she carried the burden with resilience, grace and grit. Described by her Chief as “a warrior,” she blazed a trail – and heroic legacy – for other Native girls to follow. ##### In Memoriam *Malia Kipp, the inspiring subject of our film, passed away on Dec. 31, 2024. Said Executive Producer David Guffey: "Please pray for her eternal rest and for the comfort of those who mourn her passing."*   You can read her obituary [here.](https://www.glacierfuneralhome.com/obituaries/barbara-kipp)   The Malia Kipp Memorial Scholarship is being established at the University of Montana in collaboration with the Kipp family. For more information, or to make a gift, please contact Dan Ingram: dan.ingram@supportum.org, 406.243.6294. ![Tribute image with a person holding a basketball. Includes memorial text for Barbara Malia Kipp.](https://www.familytheater.org/hubfs/In%20Memory%20of%20Barbara%20Malia%20Kipp.png "Tribute image with a person holding a basketball. Includes memorial text for Barbara Malia Kipp.") ![Barbara "Malia" Kipp wearing a black top and patterned skirt holds a basketball, featuring cultural and natural motifs, related to the Native Ball film.](https://www.familytheater.org/hubfs/FamilyTheater%20Website/Native%20Ball/20230225_MaliaKipp_4238.jpg "Barbara \"Malia\" Kipp wearing a black top and patterned skirt holds a basketball, featuring cultural and natural motifs, related to the Native Ball film.") ##### FEATURING BARBARA "MALIA" KIPP Barbara Malia Kipp was born and raised on the Blackfeet Nation in Browning, Montana. She was an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Tribe, as well as an Oneida and Norwegian descendant. Her first name, Barbara, is in honor of her mom and both of her grandmas. Her middle name, Malia, is one her mother fell in love with when attending the University of Hawaii while her parents were living on the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Her father’s last name is a respected name on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and has a long history in Montana. Growing up, Malia loved spending time with her grandfolks, Indian dancing, being outdoors, playing sports, and riding horses with her siblings. She felt fortunate to have three sisters and three brothers as well as an extended family that includes many cousins who have supported and encouraged her. Kipp graduated with honors from Browning High School in 1992, lettering in three sports all four years, earning athletic records still standing today. She made history by becoming the first female tribal member in Montana to earn a full-ride scholarship to play Division I college basketball. Her tenure as a University of Montana Lady Griz, under legendary coach Robin Selvig, paved the way for another record-breaking moment … her induction into the Montana Indian Athletic Hall of Fame as its first female member.  Malia was a Registered Nurse for 22 years and was privileged to serve her elders and community.  She was blessed to be the mother of four brilliant and amazing children. Throughout her life, she was inspired by words spoken and lived by her Grandma Kipp, "No one said life would be easy, just know that it will be worth it.” # The Directors ##### THE DIRECTORS ![Megan Harrington smiling, wearing a black jacket, white top, and gold necklaces, including a cross and saint medal.](https://www.familytheater.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Megan%20Harrington.jpg?width=1331&height=2000&name=Megan%20Harrington.jpg "Megan Harrington smiling, wearing a black jacket, white top, and gold necklaces, including a cross and saint medal.") ##### MEGAN HARRINGTON   As a former Lady Griz, Megan Harrington was a teammate of Malia Kipp’s at the University of Montana. She is an Emmy®, Gabriel, and Christopher Award-winning filmmaker and Senior Producer at Family Theater Productions. Her passion is telling inspiring true stories that showcase the true, good, and beautiful. Harrington’s documentary credits include: *The Dating Project*, *PRAY: The Story of Patrick Peyton*, *The House That Rob Built,* and *Hour of Our Death. * ![Jonathan Cipiti is shown facing the camera against a dark background.](https://www.familytheater.org/hs-fs/hubfs/FamilyTheater%20Website/Native%20Ball/Jon%201_1.jpg?width=1996&height=2000&name=Jon%201_1.jpg "Jonathan Cipiti is shown facing the camera against a dark background.") ##### JONATHAN CIPITI   Jonathan Cipiti is an Emmy®, Gabriel, and Christopher Award-winning director based out of New York. He has a strong passion for documentaries and believes in the transformational power that sharing someone’s story can have on the world. He has traveled around the world sharing the stories of others in hopes to impact and inspire. Cipiti’s documentary works include: *The Dating Project*, *Abstraction*, *Silence and Beauty*, *PRAY: The Story of Patrick Peyton*, *The House That Rob Built,* and *Hour of Our Death. * ##### THE PRODUCTION TEAM PRODUCED BY: **Megan Harrington** CULTURAL CONSULTING PRODUCER: Barbara "Malia" Kipp EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: David L. Guffey, Raymond Ekness, & John Priddy WRITTEN BY: Megan Harrington & Jonathan Cipiti DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Stephen Caserta EDITED BY: Jonathan Cipiti ORIGINAL SCORE BY: Grant Fonda ![](https://www.familytheater.org/hubfs/raw_assets/public/@marketplace/SteelThemes/Potosdio/images/banner-1-min.jpg) [** ](https://www.familytheater.org/nativeball#) **