National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

DreamWorks Animation released Shrek in May 2001, marking a turning point for computer-generated feature filmmaking outside of Pixar. Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, the film became a cultural phenomenon and launched one of animation's most successful franchises, winning the inaugural Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Its irreverent humor and technical ambition made it a defining work of early-millennium cinema.

This 35mm cell captures Shrek and Donkey together in a rocky outdoor setting, filmed from a low angle that places Shrek's distinctive green face prominently in the upper frame. The three consecutive frames preserve a single sustained moment between the two central characters, offering a quiet record of their unlikely companionship as it unfolds on screen.