Shrek (2001)

THE PLOT

Once upon a time, in a land filled with fairy tales, there lived a grumpy green ogre who wanted nothing more than to be left alone. Welcome to Shrek (2001), the hilarious animated adventure from DreamWorks Animation that turned the traditional fairy tale completely upside down.

Shrek enjoys a peaceful life in his muddy swamp, far away from the people who fear him. But his quiet existence comes crashing down when the scheming Lord Farquaad banishes a collection of fairy-tale creatures to his home. Suddenly, Shrek’s swamp is overflowing with unwanted visitors, including a particularly talkative donkey who refuses to leave him alone.

Determined to get his swamp back, Shrek strikes a deal with Lord Farquaad. If he can rescue the beautiful Princess Fiona from a castle guarded by a fire-breathing dragon, Farquaad will remove the fairy-tale creatures from his land.

Accompanied by his new companion Donkey, Shrek sets off on an unforgettable adventure filled with dangerous encounters, hilarious arguments and plenty of unexpected surprises.

But as the journey unfolds, Shrek begins to discover that appearances can be deceiving, and that friendship and love can be found in the most unlikely places. Princess Fiona also has a secret of her own, one that could change everything.

Featuring the voices of Mike Myers as Shrek, Eddie Murphy as Donkey, Cameron Diaz as Fiona and John Lithgow as Lord Farquaad, Shrek became an instant animated classic thanks to its outrageous humour, unforgettable characters and heartwarming message about accepting yourself.

Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, the film went on to win the very first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, launching one of the most recognisable animated franchises in cinema history.