The beginnings of Palestinian cinema date back to the 1930s. It started as an individual initiative by some individuals who acquired cinematic equipment and began filming.
Among the pioneers was Ibrahim Hassan Sirhan, who, in 1935, filmed a 20-minute movie about Abdul Aziz Al Saud's visit to Palestine and his movement between Lod and Jaffa.
He also made a narrative film titled "Realized Dreams" (in collaboration with Jamal Al-Asfar) and a documentary about Arab League member Ahmed Helmi Abdel Baqi. Following these beginnings, Ibrahim Sirhan established the Palestine Studio and produced a narrative film titled "Storm in a House," as well as some short advertising films, until he fled to Jordan in 1948.
In 1945, three Palestinians, including Ahmed Al-Kilani who studied film directing and cinematography in Cairo, established the Arab Film Production Company. In 1946, Salah Al-Din Badr Khan directed the first Palestinian narrative film titled "Night Dreams," which was screened in Jerusalem, Jaffa, Amman, and other countries.
Mohammed Al-Kiyali, who studied cinema in Italy, worked on producing short films in the forties. After his return, he collaborated with the Arab League office, which assigned him to produce a film about the Palestinian cause, but it was not completed due to the Nakba. In 1969, he produced a lengthy narrative film titled "Three Operations in Palestine."