Buffalo Blizzard: HBO Doc Premieres November 24

Local fast-food employees who opened their doors to strangers during the 2022 Christmas blizzard will appear in a new HBO Max documentary. The short film, titled The Buffalo Miracle, is scheduled to premiere on November 24. This date falls the week of Thanksgiving.

The storm that inspired the project brought hurricane-force winds of up to 80 mph to the region. Snowdrifts reached heights of 15 feet, and wind chill temperatures dropped to around 30 degrees below zero. Whiteout conditions and widespread power losses cut off access to infrastructure across Buffalo.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen serves as an executive producer on the film. He launched his production company, Out of Pocket Studios, over the summer. The company currently produces multiple programs for Paramount in addition to this documentary. Allen’s involvement extends his recent work in film and commercial production.

Director Ben Proudfoot helms the project. He has won two Academy Awards for his documentary shorts The Queen of Basketball and The Last Repair Shop. The trailer features the nickname City of Good Neighbors. It also notes that the Bills were on the road for a Week 16 game against the Chicago Bears during the storm's peak.

The 2022 season ended with a 13-3 record for the Bills. The documentary release coincides with a primetime AFC matchup. Allen and the Bills will host Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium during the same week as the premiere.