TEHRAN -- In a discovery that could reshape the understanding of Iranian cinematic origins, archivists at Tehran’s Golestan Palace World Heritage site have identified 31 reels of film dating back to the Qajar dynasty—potentially some of the earliest recorded moving images in Iran’s history.
Afarin Emami, director of the Golestan Palace archival collection, announced that the reels were uncovered during a recent preservation and cataloging project of the palace’s extensive film and photographic archives. 
The find includes 28 reels of 35mm film and 3 reels of 16mm film, all believed to contain footage from the Qajar period (1789–1925).
“These reels represent a remarkable window into Iran’s past and may well offer fresh insights into the cultural and social life of the Qajar era,” Emami explained. “Further detailed examination and expert analysis are needed to fully understand the contents and historical context of these films.”
The significance of this find cannot be overstated for film historians and archivists alike. While Iranian cinema is widely considered to have emerged in the early 20th century, these reels suggest a visual record predating even the Mozaffarid era films, offering an unprecedented glimpse into the nation’s visual culture during a transformative historical period.
Golestan Palace’s archives already house over 61,000 historical artifacts, including cameras, photographs, glass negatives, paintings, and film reels—ranking it as the world’s second most important photographic archive after the Getty’s Wintour Archive in the UK.