5 Questions with Brooks Benjamin

Creative. Visionary. Pansy.

These are just three of the words that have been used to describe child genius director, Brooks Benjamin. In this Knoxville Films exclusive, the former circus performer turned independent film mogul shares the secrets of his life growing up in small town Harrogate—as a girl.

We meet up with Brooks in Portafino, a small town outside of Milan on the Italian Riviera. Brooks and his new wife (they were married on the Internet earlier today) have just purchased their latest real estate gem, a 22,000 square foot “cottage” high in the cliffs of Portafino. Brooks has clearly made the most of his “modest income” earned from Point of Fear. Throughout the interview, Benjamin sips on Grappa as three young village boys take turns rubbing his enormous feet.

Knoxville Films Question #1: Tell us about your life growing up as a girl in Harriman and why you chose to become a man?

BB: One of my earliest memories as a little girl was watching the movie “Glen or Glenda” with my older sister, who later went on to become one of America’s bravest firemen, and really felt myself connect with that “little guy inside me”. Fifteen years and three surgeries later (one to remove the undeveloped symbiotic twin growing inside my bowels), that little man was removed and I was completely in debt. However I thought to myself… “I’ve come this far with it, why not go ahead and finish what I started.

KF Question #2: In their review of Point of Fear the New York times said that “Benjamin directs the cast with a light and gently touch like that of a mother cow suckling her calf”. Do you think this gentle touch comes from your true feminine inner being?

BB: I remember reading that! It wasn’t until I went to New York to do a book signing for “From Brook to Brooks, Adding a Letter and, Oh, So Much More” when I actually saw a mother cow sucking on a cafe (a cozy little bohemian place… Star… something or another). I thought the poor thing had latched onto the water spigot on the side of the building, but after I went over to inspect her, I found out she was, in fact, ingesting some milk that had been leaking through some cracks in the foundation. Clever girl, she was. But, to answer your question, I do feel like a cow, sometimes, leading my small children to graze at the craft services table. Only to call off lunch 25 minutes early to put them back out to work in the fields. It’s the “little mother in me” (which makes me think I need to go have that checked again…).

KF Question #3: It is rumored that Point of fear was made for $22.87 and it went on to gross over $200 million worldwide. Do you intend to share any of the profits with the cast and crew?

BB: The $200 million it had grossed was virtually entirely in Canada, so I think after the exchange rate it actually ended up being more like 75 cents. However, I held up my end of the bargain and I made sure each cast member with a speaking role, red hair, 3 nipples, and previous military experience (in any country bordering Australia) got their share of the kitty.

KF Question #4: In Boys of Summerville, much of the plot centers on softball. Why is it called soft ball? Have you ever been hit on the head with a soft ball? They are not very soft…

BB: While collaborating with Rodriguez on the script we began to throw around the idea of really bringing in the history of the game… get down to the fun facts that the audience will really get a kick out of. We discovered that the word “soft” is actually derived from the French word “souffle”, which is what the original game used when it began in France. A teammate would hold a souffle in his hand and hurl it at an opposing player, who would then try and eat as much of the dessert as he could. If he could finish the dish before the Pincher (later changed to pitcher when the game came to America) could run and tag the Eater’s bottom, he would score a point. If he was pinched before he could finish it, the eater had to run around (bases were later added in) the court while the Pincher would chase him yelling (in French), “Pincez Votre Fond”, which later translated to something we couldn’t figure out. So I let Rodriguez get back to his chores and I finished the script that we began.

KF Question #5: Juggling a tight budget and a short production schedule is demanding and can tax even the most seasoned director. Briefs or boxers?

BB: Boxers. Which do allow me to more freely juggle my tight little budgets and short schedule.

Written by Knoxville Films’ Celebrity Correspondent, Michael Samstag