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, blending fairy tale irreverence with early photorealistic CGI. It won the inaugural Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and launched one of animation's most successful franchises, cementing DreamWorks as a serious force in the medium.

This cell, titled Shrek, captures the title character in close-up beneath a dark armored helmet, his green skin just visible through the visor. The three frames hold the same composition, consistent with the tournament disguise sequence, offering collectors a rare, intimate look at Shrek in an understated but dramatically significant moment.