National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

DreamWorks Animation released Shrek in May 2001, marking a turning point for computer-animated feature films and offering a sharp, self-aware counterpoint to the fairy-tale conventions that had defined the genre. Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, the film became a cultural touchstone and a commercial landmark, earning the inaugural Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and launching one of animation's most enduring franchises.

This cell captures Shrek in close-up, shot from a low angle looking upward at his face as he gazes downward. Three consecutive frames from the same shot preserve the subtle continuity of a single cinematic moment — his green skin and textured features rendered in detail against a dark background, offering an intimate look at the character central to the film's identity.