Youssef DaLima graduated from the International School of Comics in Padua, and in 2015 directed his first short film, "The Writer – Ada’s Story," which explores the dramatic struggles of a writer consumed by obsession. This was followed in 2016 by the success of "No Share," where he served as executive producer. The film earned several awards, including Best Short Drama at the Los Angeles Film Awards in 2017 and recognition at the Sapporo International Short Film Festival.
A self-taught filmmaker with several productions under his belt, he expanded his skills with private screenwriting lessons from director Pietro Parolin. With seven short films to date, some of his work has been selected by the Veneto Film Commission for various editions of the Venice Film Festival.
During the pandemic, in collaboration with the Veneto Region, he created the short film “Di fuoco e d'ombra” (Of Fire and Shadow), based on the book co-authored by Rossella Menegato and Manuela Brocco, which collects the stories of thirty-three women whose personal journeys intertwine with the city of Vicenza. He also directed the biographical short “Amor” and the documentary “Venti.”
In recent years, he has explored new formats, such as the noir short “A Take,” filmed in a single continuous shot, and the action-comedy short “Slappe Pizza” — shot in one night with professional stunt performers.
Through collaborations with associations like Techstation Padova and Radicà Onlus, he contributes to training young talent and promoting audiovisual skills across public and private institutions in Veneto.
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic and lockdowns, in 2021 he founded a collective that in 2023 became Onymous Studios.