Youssef Delara, a native of Los Angeles, embarked on his artistic journey at Loyola Marymount Film School, where he honed his skills in directing while simultaneously pursuing coursework in photography at Art Center College of Art and Design. After completing his education, Delara applied his acute visual sense as a Visual Effects Associate on the highly acclaimed Paramount Television series, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, eventually ascending to the role of Visual Effects Supervisor.
Delara's impressive resume also includes producing visual effects for Star Trek: Voyager, as well as sequences for the popular Star Trek feature films Generations and Insurrection. In 2004, he made his directorial debut with the feature film "English as a Second Language," a powerful drama starring Kuno Becker, Maria Conchita Alonso, and Michael Higgins, loosely based on his own experiences living in Los Angeles.
In 2009, Cima Productions produced Delara's second feature film, "Bedrooms," which he wrote, directed, and edited, starring Julie Benz, Moon Bloodgood, Xander Berkely, and Barry Bostwick. The following year, Delara began production on his passion project, "Filly Brown," a gritty drama set in the streets of Los Angeles, starring Edward James Olmos, Jenni Rivera, and Lou Diamond Phillips, as well as the young and talented Gina Rodriguez.
The film follows the journey of a street rapper from unknown to the precipice of pop stardom, and although it caters to the burgeoning 3rd generation American Latino audience, it is steeped in original underground hip hop music. "Filly Brown" was selected for Dramatic Competition in the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.
In 2013, Delara directed and edited the twisted psychological thriller "Enter The Dangerous Mind," which was selected to the 2014 SXSW film festival. The disturbing film stars Nikki Reed, Scott Bakula, and Jason Priestly, and tracks the mind-splitting journey of a psychotic EDM musician moments before going on a horrific killing spree.
In 2015, Delara changed gears, writing, directing, and editing the urban romantic comedy "The Bounce Back," starring the beloved heartthrob Shemar Moore, funny man Bill Bellamy, and the sexy Nadine Velasquez. The film centers on the journey of a self-help love guru novelist and a clinical psychologist who became a media sensation after butting heads on national television. Complications arise when the two ideological opposites fall in love.
Delara is currently developing a powerful one-hour music-driven dramatic television series with BET, as well as directing a courtroom drama and true story, "Foster Boy," to be filmed in the fall of 2017.
