Born from a recent innovation that is the cinematographer, the cinema became in record time the most considerable phenomenon of the 20th century. This spectacular increase has resulted in an important architectural heritage in a sociocultural use. Like the great cities of the world, the Algerian urban landscape still carries the mark of this art. Several cinemas attested a glorious cinematographic past in spite of considerable degradations.
From the colonial period, Algeria inherited important theaters with very rich and diversified characteristics. However, due to the lack of disposition for its preservation, its actual state shifts between abandon, demolition or reconversion.
Today we are witnessing a renewed interest from local communities towards that heritage in danger, but the actions undertaken are too distant from heritage concerns.
The present paper aims to elaborate a theoretical knowledge able to inform about the heritage character of these buildings. It is about questioning the typological characteristics of cinemas in Algeria by the parallel with the history of film architecture internationally. On the basis of a historiographic approach, Algiers city is selected for our investigation. Due to its status as the colonial capital, it offers a representative sample of the wealth of the Algerian film architectural heritage, in relation to this period.