National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

DreamWorks Animation released Shrek in May 2001, marking a turning point in computer-animated filmmaking and signaling a genuine challenge to Disney's long dominance of the genre. Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, the film earned the first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and became a cultural touchstone, blending fairy-tale irreverence with genuine emotional depth. Its success reshaped the animation industry for the decade that followed.

This cell captures Dragon in a darkened interior, her mouth open and reddish scales catching the light against a deep purple atmosphere. The three consecutive frames preserve a single sustained moment from what is one of the film's most visually striking character introductions, offering a rare and intimate look at this iconic creature in her element.