Dreams of becoming a professional footballer were cut short by all the clichés of a misspent youth. To be then turfed out of the sort of rough and tumble school where most couldn’t spell the word ambition, the future looked far from bright.

A random design to backpack through Asia aged 17, proved to be a game-changer. It was whilst living amongst the hustlers and con artists in Kowloon’s Chunking Mansions (made famous by Wong Car-was) that a fascination with people living on the margins - was born.

A degree in Politics and Modern History in Manchester, followed as did a job as an on-screen Reporter on Channel 4’s « Gazzetta Football Italia » but, it was only when picking up a camera on set that Montorio discovered his true vocation. He began self-shooting short films on the beautiful game. A call from the BBC documentaries department soon followed.

In his first documentary with the BBC, « Hooligans », her went undercover with Lazio fans (one of the world’s most dangerous sets of football supporters in the world) and earned himself a Grierson nomination. He was subsequently commissioned by the BBC to make a series of current affairs films that went on to win multiple awards.

Benito went undercover with the British gangs running Ibiza in « Drug Land », directed an award winning film about the abduction of footballers’ mothers in one of the most dangerous favelas in Brazil in « Ransom City », spent six months documenting the victims of the drug trade in Bolivia for « 12 year-old Cocaine Smuggler », and for « Marriage and the Mob », Montorio went home to Naples to tell the story of the ultra-violent turf war made famous by « Gomorrah » through the prism of a wedding. He then went onto make a film about the « boss of bosses » and head of the Sicilian Mafia in « The Real Godfather ».

After a year sandwiches between the Italian secret police and the Mafia, it was time for a change.

In 2009, Montorio turned his hand to commercials and partnered with BBH London and Robinsons to « imagine » a world where a British player won Wimbledon and a few months later, wen on to shoot te first John Lewis Christmas ad with Adam & Eve. He has since brought his undeniable craft and artistry  to many award winning commercials around the globe.

He is currently developing his first scripted feature film.