The first Shrek film received its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in 2001.
Shrek was screened out of competition at the 54th Cannes Film Festival in May 2001. Its inclusion was notable because Cannes is strongly associated with live-action prestige cinema, while Shrek was a computer-animated studio comedy aimed at a broad family audience.
The premiere took place shortly before the film’s theatrical release in the United States. DreamWorks used the festival appearance to present Shrek as more than a conventional children’s cartoon: it was a technically ambitious feature with satire, celebrity voice performances, and humor designed for multiple age groups.
The Cannes premiere is sometimes confused with the film’s American release date or its Academy Awards recognition. Shrek opened in U.S. cinemas later in May 2001 and became a major commercial success. It subsequently won the inaugural Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, but that ceremony occurred in 2002 and is separate from the film’s 2001 festival premiere.