Older characters in animated films : Analysis of the most popular animated films in Portugal

The media have a powerful influence on the construction of the image of elderly people and are increasingly inserted into everyone's daily lives. Given that ageism, widely present in society, appears early and has an impact on the way children interact to the elderly and perceive their own aging process, it is important to understand the messages related to aging that are present in the media, especially in the content intended for children. To help understand the messages about old age and aging that are being transmitted to young audiences, this study analyzed the representation of elderly people in the most viewed animation films in Portugal's theatres, during the period from 2008 to 2018, using an adapted analysis grid. The results indicate that although there is a balance between positive and negative representations, the elderly characters are represented with a lack of diversity, with a minor role for the movie's plot and with a series of features commonly used throughout most animated films.