Ben Brewer
Birthplace: Carlisle, Massachusetts
Ben Brewer (birthname: Benjamin Brewer) is the rare American independent filmmaker who happens to have also shared a Grammy Award for best comedy album with comedian Lewis Black, directed comedy legend and filmmaker Jerry Lewis and has also designed visual effects for movies he didn’t make, including the Best Picture-winning Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022). Brewer made his feature debut as director/writer with the indie drama, Beneath Contempt (2011), co-starring Abigail Austin, Eliza Austin, and Mike Bash, and which premiered at the Slamdance film festival.
Brewer, after directing and writing short films and music videos (often in collaboration with his filmmaking brother, Alex, co-wrote (with Adam Hirsch) and co-directed (with Alex) his second feature, the cop drama The Trust (2016), starring Nicolas Cage, Elijah Wood, Sky Ferreira, and Jerry Lewis—his final filmed role (as Cage’s father) before he died in 2017, and was released by Saban Films after a premiere at the South by Southwest film festival.
After co-writing the cop drama, Reptile (2023), with star Benicio Del Toro and director Grant Singer and directing more videos and shorts, Brewer wrote, directed, and was visual effects creative director on his third feature and second in a row starring Cage (who also was a producer), the horror movie Arcadian (2024), co-starring Jaeden Martell, Maxwell Jenkins, and Sadie Soverall, and receiving theatrical release care of RLJE Films after premiering at the South by Southwest film festival.
Ben Brewer has also served as a visual effects producer-designer on writers-directors Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson’s sci-fi comedy, Save Yourselves! (2020); on writers-directors Jim Cummings’ and PJ McCabe’s indie comedy-drama The Beta Test (2021), which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival; and The Daniels’ Oscar-winning Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Personal Details
Ben Brewer was born in Carlisle, Massachusetts, and was raised by his parents. Brewer has a brother, Alex Brewer, who has been his filmmaking partner. Brewer attended SUNY (State University of New York) Purchase for his freshman year and then transferred to Emerson College, where he majored in film, and made his short film, Beneath Contempt (2011), which competed in the Slamdance Film Festival.
Filmography
actor
Previous (2)
- 2024 |
- 2022 | Everything Everywhere All at OnceasVisual Effects Artist
Everything Everywhere All at Once
A middle-aged Chinese immigrant is swept up into an insane adventure in which she alone can save existence by exploring other universes and connecting with the lives she could have led.
Some Facts About Ben Brewer
Influences: Ben Brewer has cited Lars von Trier, David Lynch, the New Romanian Cinema and Plato’s “Symposium” as influences on his filmmaking and storytelling.
Friends: Brewer became friends with his fellow Emerson College classmates The Daniels and continued their relationship to Everything Everywhere All at Once, for which Brewer was a visual effects designer.
Brother Filmmakers: Ben Brewer has collaborated with his filmmaking brother Alex on several music videos as well as the feature film, The Trust.
