SPOKANE, Wash. — The love for Basketball is etched into the DNA of Spokane.
Between the largest 3-on-3 tournament in the world or even just rooting on the Zags in a packed-out Kennel, hoops is a part of the Inland Northwest culture.
“I mean, the basketball community means everything to me,” said Luke Hristou, a local filmmaker based out of Spokane.
It’s why he’s launching a new show to capture just how much the game means to the region. 'Real Rat' is a basketball-inspired pilot Hristou has worked on for three years.
“I knew it had to be here,” he explained while sending out emails in his home studio.
Three years ago, he packed up his life and moved to Spokane, a city the Utah native spent time in every summer of his childhood while attending Hoopfest. It shaped memories that would ultimately lead him to a passion that has now been transformed into a career.
“That’s why I’m doing this. I want to add to; I want to build on all of the great things such as Hooptown and Hoopfest,” Hristou said.
The idea for the show started while he was at film school in Denver. Before that, Hristou was a college athlete majoring in business, but he knew his calling was elsewhere.
Tapping into the creative world of film and acting was an opportunity to carry on his passion for sports.
“I just hope that it can be one extra thing that people can come out and celebrate,” he said.
Everything from the promo posters, acting, directing, and editing of the project is all work that Hristou has done to make the show happen. Though the trials of COVID caused delays, a local cast and crew were assembled.
Now, the time has finally come to premiere the project.
“Which is crazy because we didn’t have the gym blocked off,” Hristou said laughing while thumbing through his old film notes. “It was just people in there doing their own thing, and we worked around them.”
Capturing the essence of what basketball means to Spokane is the goal he set out to accomplish with the show.
As the filmmaker reminisces on the process, the local parks and gyms that were used as filming locations mean just a little bit more to him.
That includes the Warehouse, where a large portion of Real Rat was shot.
“This is like the ultimate cathedral of basketball,” Hristou said.
The cast and crew will all be at the Magic Lantern Theatre to watch the pilot. Show times are 6:30 pm and 7:30 pm, followed by a Q&A session.
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