National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

DreamWorks Animation released Shrek in May 2001, marking a turning point for computer-generated feature films and challenging the dominance Disney had long held over family animation. Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, the film earned the inaugural Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and demonstrated that irreverent, layered storytelling could find enormous commercial and critical success outside the traditional fairy-tale mold.

This cell, titled Donkey, captures Eddie Murphy's beloved character in what appears to be a nighttime exterior scene, likely near the swamp that anchors much of the film's action. The three continuous frames show Donkey surrounded by foliage and shadowed vertical forms, preserving a quiet moment from one of animation's most memorable supporting performances on original 35mm film.