National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

DreamWorks Animation released Shrek in May 2001, positioning it as a direct challenge to Disney's dominance in feature animation. Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, the film became a cultural landmark, winning the inaugural Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and grossing over 480 million dollars worldwide. Its irreverent humor and groundbreaking CGI marked a turning point in how studios approached the animated fairy tale.

This cell, titled Donkey, captures Eddie Murphy's beloved character in a dimly lit, rustic interior surrounded by wicker and basket elements. The warm, low-key lighting gives the frame an intimate quality rarely associated with the film's more expansive outdoor sequences, making it a quietly distinctive piece of Shrek's visual storytelling.