One of the keys could be the success of the US animated series The Simpsons. The storylines behind the popular yellow family are more adult than child-oriented, although kids still love it. A revealing anecdote is that in a 2002 survey carried out by the chains tore Woolworths in the UK, 22% of the 1,000 British children questioned said they would change their dad for Homer Simpson.

The new-style content of children's programmes and films reflects the fact that children born in the audiovisual and digital age have a greater grasp of the mundane problems affecting society than their parents had at the same age. They are less innocent, more perceptive and, above all, less likely to accept a banal plot.

The Disney format
In the late 1980s and early 1990s Disney produced a dozen films in the purest 1950s style, but taking advantage of the latest technological advances. The Little Siren (1990), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992) and the Lion King (1994) were part of this idealised world with plots based on the clear differences between good and evil characters. The plotlines are simple and the values they transmit universal: friendship, true love, bravery and reliability. But the appearance of more realistic storylines and Disney's relationship with the producer Pixar, has encouraged the company to change strategy and offer a product that, albeit still very much Disney, is closer to the stories demanded by children of the 21st century. Prime examples are Monsters, Inc. (2002) and the multi award winning Finding Nemo (2003).

Shrek, beauty is no longer on the inside
Clearly, times are changing. The risk taken by the producer Dreamworks -another US animation giants- with Shrek (2001), broke a few more of the rules about what children want from a cartoon. An ugly, vulgar green giant, with a sometimes violent character, became an unprecedented box office success and not only due to its young audience. The fact is that possibly more than ever parents now accompany their children to the cinema and enjoy the child-oriented fare as much or even more than their offspring.

These films differ from the Disney format because the characters are not so flat, but have multifaceted, reflexive personalities that often give in to temptation. The difference in these two styles was exemplified in 1998 when two films in principle similar -Disney's A Bug's Life and Dreamworks' Antz- treated the same theme in contrasting styles. Antz, under the cover of an animated film, was a reflection on how an insignificant being strived to make his voice heard in a society dictated by the demands of the collective. Nothing to do with A Bug's Life.

Japanese animation: a jump in quality
In recent years Japanese cinema has deservedly carved a niche alongside the two US giants. Its most famous director is Hayao Miyazaki, responsible for, among others, The Princess Mononoke (1997) and Chihiro�s Journey (2001). His films are based on fantasy and magic, although realism is also present, and have a subtle environmental streak. The main characters, nearly always female, are usually headstrong, independent and with great willpower. Miyazaki's films avoid the cliches of Disney films in which everything can become a musical, with content that could be a little dry for children.

Another facet of Japanese animation is the manga genre, although these films (whose content is often extremely violent) are aimed more at adolescents. However, many series that have later been made into films are influenced by manga. These include Kunihiko Yuyama�s Pokemon (2000). Although many of the characters fight and come into conflict, the same universal values of other child-oriented films are present, namely: friendship, companionship, perseverance in achieving one's goals.

In short, the storylines are changing and adapting to the new requirements of today�s children. Whether or not the child in question is influenced by the messages of these films very much depends on their age.

In any case, the new wave of children's cinema provides a more realistic vision of the world, since it is useful for them to learn little by little that life is not a fairy tale. Always watch your chosen film with your children -at least the first time- and answer any questions they may have. You will then be able to see whether or not they have assimilated the content and understood the message. The simplicity with which they view the world will enable them to gradually learn the mysteries of the world and the society in which they live.