National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Shrek was released by DreamWorks Animation in May 2001, arriving at a moment when computer-generated feature films were still finding their footing. Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, it became a cultural landmark, winning the first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and demonstrating that CGI storytelling could carry genuine wit and emotional weight alongside its technical ambition.

This cell, titled Shrek and Donkey, captures three consecutive frames from a single shot at the entrance to Duloc, Lord Farquaad's imposing castle. Shrek stands in the foreground against stone architecture and open sky, with Donkey visible just behind him — a quiet moment of arrival that anchors one of the film's central partnerships in 35mm.