Ben Lewin was born in Poland. As a child, he emigrated with his family to Melbourne, Australia. At the age of six, he contracted polio which caused him to use crutches for the rest of his life. Lewin attended the University of Melbourne where he studied law. In 1971, he left his job as a barrister in Australia after being given a scholarship to study film at National Film and Television School in England. After school, Lewin remained in England where he worked in television.