National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Shrek was released by DreamWorks Animation in May 2001, arriving at a moment when computer-generated feature filmmaking was still establishing its creative boundaries. The film challenged the conventions of the fairy-tale genre with irreverent humor and genuine emotional depth, earning the first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Its success reshaped the animation landscape and launched one of the most commercially significant franchises in studio history.

This cell, titled Shrek, captures an extreme close-up of the ogre himself, his broad green face filling the frame with both eyes directed squarely toward the camera. The tight framing emphasizes the film's groundbreaking character rendering, isolating Shrek in a moment of direct, unguarded presence that defined his enduring screen personality.