Youssef DaLima (Youssef El Jardouli) is a filmmaker, director and visual storyteller based in Vicenza, Italy. He is the co-founder and creative director of Onymous Studios, where he directs short films, commercials, branded content and immersive multimedia projects for clients across cinema, spirits and beverage, industrial manufacturing and cultural institutions.
His work has been selected by the Veneto Film Commission for presentations at the Venice International Film Festival, and has earned international recognition including Best Short Drama at the Los Angeles Film Awards (2017) and selection at the Sapporo International Short Film Festival.
In 2024, he was invited as a speaker at the Working Title Film Festival in Vicenza — the festival dedicated to cinema and the world of work — for the Industry event "Video storytelling tra arte e impresa", alongside professionals from CNA Veneto Ovest and GoodJob!.
"The Writer - Ada's Story" (2015) — his debut short film, exploring the dramatic struggles of a writer consumed by obsession. His first work selected by the Veneto Film Commission.
"No Share" (2016) - executive producer. Winner of Best Short Drama at the Los Angeles Film Awards 2017 and selected at the Sapporo International Short Film Festival.
"Di Fuoco e d'Ombra" (2021) - director and co-screenwriter. A short film honoring 11 forgotten women who shaped the history of Vicenza, based on the book by Rossella Menegato and Manuela Brocco. Presented at the Regione Veneto Pavilion during the 78th Venice International Film Festival, in collaboration with Vicenza Film Commission and Consorzio Vicenza È. Premièred in Piazza dei Signori, Vicenza, in front of 700 people during VIOFF 2021. See the project →
"Ǎmor" - director. A biographical short film.
"Venti" - director. A documentary exploring wind, movement and territory.
"A Take" - director. A noir short filmed in a single continuous shot.
"Slapple Pizza" (2025) - director. An action-comedy short filmed in one night with professional stunt performers. Currently in the international festival circuit with several nominations. See the project →
With seven short films to date, DaLima has built a body of work that spans drama, documentary, noir, action-comedy and biographical storytelling - maintaining a distinctive visual signature across all of them.
As creative director of Onymous Studios, DaLima directs commercials and brand films for an international client base. Selected projects:
Aurora: a commercial from another Galaxy - a visually striking commercial that pushes the boundaries of in-camera effects and post-production.
Tecno Mecc Industrial Choreography - corporate film turning robotic welding arms into cinematic choreography on a factory floor in Breganze.
She wanted More! - comedy commercial for the Open.Ice.Enjoy keg line and Pistachio Spritz, launched at Beer & Food Attraction 2026 in Rimini.
Do dogs watch commercial? - a commercial for MAST premium dog biscuits where the real twist is who the audience is.
How do you say Pistachio? - hybrid AI-and-human commercial for Zanin 1895's Pistachio Liqueur, premiered at Bar Convent Brooklyn 2025.
Welcome to Peroni & Parise - corporate presentation for Peroni & Parise.
Beyond filmmaking, DaLima works as a photographer and visual artist. In 2024, he presented "Ophéleia's Heirs", a photographic project blending fine-art photography with pictorial tradition, exhibited in Vicenza and at the Villa Genovese (ex Meunier) in Velo d'Astico. The project explores the intersection of art photography and contemporary painting, using the figure of Ophelia as an archetype.
A self-taught filmmaker, DaLima expanded his skills with private screenwriting lessons from director Pietro Parolin after graduating from the International School of Comics in Padua.
Through collaborations with Techstation Padova and Radicà Onlus, he contributes to training young talent and promoting audiovisual skills across public and private institutions in Veneto.
In May 2026, he co-facilitated the AI Strategy Lab at Distilleria Zanin 1895, a two-day intensive workshop for executives on AI integration in business strategy.
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, in 2021 DaLima founded a creative collective that in 2023 became Onymous Studios. He met Ludovica Corponi while working on Affectus Animi, a theatrical and experiential project developed with MUSME – Museum of Medicine in Padua and TPR – Teatro Popolare di Ricerca. That encounter became the foundation of a creative partnership — and a studio that pairs the craft of cinema with data-driven strategy and emerging technologies.
studios@onymous.it · [+39 351 927 6764](tel:+39 351 927 6764)