Rachel Earnest

Rachel Earnest is a seasoned producer, originally from Southern California. Raised in a surfing family, she discovered her passion for filmmaking early on making surf videos.

This growing interest led her to pursue film at Chapman University where she developed a fascination for the French New Wave. Her academic journey took her to France, where she immersed herself in French language and cinema at the Collège International de Cannes. Her time abroad inspired her to write and direct her award-winning thesis film, Le Retour, which played at over 50 film festivals and was described by Sundance Programmer, Trevor Groth, as “Intelligent, emotional, and truthful.”

For over a decade, Rachel has built an impressive portfolio as a producer, working on features, shorts, documentaries, commercials, and branded content. Her experience spans the award-winning film, Mary Marie, which received critical acclaim from Variety and The Wall Street Journal, globally shot short documentaries produced in partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation, as well as premium lifestyle series and television broadcast advertisements.

Rachel also has a background as a story analyst, including seven years with the Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program, where she collaborated closely with the executive team to support emerging storytellers.

Rachel is thrilled to be part of the Breakwater family, collaborating with artists and innovators to craft high-quality, emotionally impactful films. She is dedicated to fostering a nurturing and productive on-set environment where creativity can flourish. In her free time, she is currently learning Italian and enjoys dancing cardio hip hop.