'Shrek' wins best animated feature Oscar

3.30pm

LOS ANGELES - "Shrek," the uproarious anti-fairy tale co-directed by New Zealand's Andrew Adamson, won the first ever Oscar for a full length animated feature.

The computer-animated tale of an ugly green ogre with a talking donkey as a sidekick triumphed over competitors "Jimmy Neutron" and "Monsters, Inc" from Walt Disney Co -- which has traditionally dominated the world of film animation. Shrek was made by rival studio Dreamworks.

"Shrek," with its satire on modern culture ranging from theme parks to romance, proved a hit with both children and adults and became one of the highest grossing films of last year. It took more than US$250 million at the US box office alone.

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Science decided to inaugurate an Oscar for animated features to recognise the strides made in the art form.

Oscar nominees and winners (full list)

nzherald.co.nz/oscars