Academy Award-winning director Ben Proudfoot and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen are teaming for a short documentary titled The Buffalo Miracle, which is set to premiere on HBO Max on Nov. 24. Proudfoot directed the film and Allen executive-produced it through his Out of Pocket Studios.
The documentary tells the true story of fast-food workers in Buffalo who opened their doors to strangers and neighbors as refuges during the Christmas-week blizzard of 2022. The storm produced hurricane-force winds up to 80 mph, snowdrifts as high as 15 feet and wind chills near 30 below zero, creating whiteout conditions and widespread power and infrastructure losses across the region.
The trailer leans on Buffalo’s nickname as the “City of Good Neighbors” and underscores how shared devotion to the Bills helps unite the community, especially in December as the team readies for a playoff push, according to the trailer. Allen led Buffalo to a 13-3 record in 2022, but the Bills were on the road for a Week 16 game against the Chicago Bears during the blizzard’s peak.
Allen has expanded his work in film and production in recent years. In addition to commercial appearances, he launched Out of Pocket Studios over the summer. The company already produces multiple programs for Paramount as well as the upcoming documentary.
Proudfoot is a two-time Oscar winner for the documentary shorts The Queen of Basketball and The Last Repair Shop.
The film’s release will coincide with the week of Thanksgiving, when the Bills are scheduled to host Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium in a primetime AFC matchup.
