Movies were filmed in Palestine since the time of the beginning of the silent film era during the 19th century, but an actual movie industry was not really conceived, both in the period of the Yishuv, and also during the first years of the state.
Initially the industry, focused particularly on producing propaganda films and news broadcasts which were shown in the Israeli cinemas during that time before the movies were shown.
In 1954, the law to encourage the production of Israeli film (החוק לעידוד הסרט הישראלי) was passed, and in 1955, the most important Israeli film which was filmed until then was produced - Hill 24 Doesn't Answer (גבעה 24 אינה עונה).
In the late 1950s, the Israeli film industry was still in its early stages and hadn't managed to create for itself unique characteristics, its own language, or even a real industry.
The films were not simply "action" or "crime" films, they could belong to these genres but tended to include a very Israeli perspective and touch due to very recent events in the nation's tenuous formation.