A breakwater is a seawall, built as a protectorate against the forceful waves of the open ocean. For us, it represents our dedication to protecting what matters most: our people, our philosophy, and, most importantly, the integrity of the stories we tell.

Founded in 2012 by Nova Scotian filmmaker Ben Proudfoot with little more than great ambition, Breakwater Studios swiftly established itself as a powerhouse in short documentaries. Our early Vimeo Staff Picks, ink&paper and The Ox, set the stage for our rise.

Our unique approach to cinematic humanist storytelling has garnered critical acclaim, tens of millions of views, and real world change.

In 2022, we took home an Oscar® for The Queen of Basketball a year after being nominated for A Concerto is a Conversation (2021). In 2024, we won our second Oscar® for Best Documentary Short Film for The Last Repair Shop, which catalyzed a multi-million dollar fundraising campaign for the L.A.U.S.D. music repair shop spotlighted in the film.

Our series Life’s Work, New York Time Op-Docs series Cause of Life and Almost Famous have amassed tens of millions of views globally. We’ve also had the honor of partnering with influential figures like Barack and Michelle Obama, Lewis Hamilton, Naomi Osaka, Orlando Bloom, Shaquille O’Neal, Stephen Curry, and Ava DuVernay.

Partnering with innovative brands ready to push boundaries, we’ve also become a bold leader in the brand storytelling space. Standout projects—such as The Final Copy of Ilon Specht for L’Oréal Paris, Flowers for YouTube, If You Have for UNICEF, and May Day for Charles Schwab—are redefining how brands connect with audiences through storytelling.