7 real-life animal friendship movies

The collection includes both widely known pictures and a few tapes that may have unfairly slipped from your radar. There is no "Hachi" on the list, as it was in our recent article.

7. "Vicky and Her Mystery" / Mystère

• 2021
• France
• Family, adventure
• Director: Denis Imbert
• Starring: Sky Alexis, Marie Gillain, Vincent Elbaz, Eric Elmosnino, Shanna Keil
• IMDb Rating: 6.3

Stéphane (Vincent Elbaz) decides to go to the beautiful Cantal mountains with his 8-year-old daughter Victoria (Sky Alexis), hoping it will help the girl recover from the disappearance of her mother: since then she hasn't spoken a word. During a walk, Victoria meets a shepherd puppy named Secret, who gradually brings laughter and joy back to the girl. But soon it becomes clear that Secret is not just a harmless dog, but a real wolf.

The movie is based on a true story: in France lives a girl Victoria, who not only tamed the wolf, but also defended the right to keep him at home.

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6. "Mia and the White Lion"

• 2018
• France, Germany, South Africa, Switzerland, Monaco, USA
• Drama, family, adventure
• Director: Gilles de Maistre
• Starring: Mélanie Laurent, Langley Kirkwood, Tessa Jubber, Daniah De Villiers 
• IMDb Rating: 6.5

Mia (Daniah De Villiers) moves with her parents from London to Africa. In the hot country, she makes a new friend — a little white lion cub named Charlie. Learning that he is in danger, Mia decides to run away with the pet to find him a new home where he will be safe. The heroes set off on a journey through the South African savannah, surrounded by amazing beauty.

The picture "Mia and the White Lion" was partly filmed on real events. The idea for the story came to Gilles de Maistre when he was filming a television documentary about the unique friendship between children and wild animals around the world. The director asked South African lion expert Kevin Richardson about how to film the story. It turned out to be nearly impossible, as the only way to make the movie without harming the child is to raise them together. De Maistre chose Daniah De Villiers, a girl from South Africa, out of three hundred other children, who was already familiar with lions.

The production took a long three years, as the girl and the little lion cub grow up and begin to become friends right in front of the audience.

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5. "My Penguin Friend"

• 2024
• Brazil, USA, Spain
• Drama, adventure, family
• Director: David Schurmann
• Starring: Jean Reno, Adriana Barraza, Rocío Hernández, Nicolás Francella, Pedro Urizzi
• IMDb Rating: 6.8

One day, a fisherman João (Jean Reno), suffering from deep depression, finds a penguin not far from the shore, which has broken away from the flock and fallen into an oil slick. The fisherman takes the animal to himself, cleans, feeds, and cares for it. An unusual friendship develops between them, and the penguin is named Dindim. Despite the fact that Dindim sails away to his family, he continues to visit his friend every year, sailing great distances for the sake of it. When the story of friendship "viruses" on the Internet, he wants to be taken away for study, because of which Dindim doesn't come to see him at the usual time. Then a fisherman sets out to rescue his friend.

The movie is based on real events. The story of the touching friendship of two friends attracted a lot of attention around the world and made João and Dindim real celebrities.

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4. "Arthur the King"

• 2024
• USA, Canada
• Drama, adventure
• Director: Simon Cellan Jones
• Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Nathalie Emmanuel, Simu Liu, Michael Landes, Paul Guilfoyle
• IMDb Rating: 7.0

Due to a ridiculous misdemeanor, Michael (Mark Wahlberg) has been out of adventure racing for three years, but continues to dream of adrenaline. Having spit on everything, the man again collects a team and takes part in the world championship. On the route in the jungles of the Dominican Republic, a stray dog comes to them, which the athletes feed with meatballs and call Arthur. Soon the dog not only becomes the team's mascot, publicized in the media, but also really helps Michael and his companions on the difficult path to victory.

The movie is based on real events described in Swedish athlete Mikael Lindnord's memoir "Arthur — The Dog Who Crossed the Jungle to Find a Home".

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3. "Rescued by Ruby"

• 2022
• USA
• Biography, family, drama
• Director: Katt Shea
• Starring: Grant Gustin, Scott Wolf, Kaylah Zander, Camille Sullivan, Tom McBeath
• IMDb Rating: 7.2

8-month-old Border Collie/Australian Shepherd puppy named Ruby has been returned to the animal shelter five times because of her unruly temperament. When they decide to put the dog to sleep, it is rescued by Officer Daniel O'Neil (Grant Gustin). For loser Dan, meeting Ruby becomes a chance to change his life and fulfill his long-held dream of becoming a K-9 officer. And for Ruby, this meeting becomes a chance for a happy life.

"Honestly, I don't understand why this movie is underrated. It's a very good movie. I just recommend everyone to watch it!" — fb1313417

"Actor Grant Gustin proved in this movie that you don't have to be a superhero (like the Flash) and have superpowers, you can just be a person with a big heart and boundless love, that even the most naughty dog will accomplish a feat by listening to his master's heart", — biologdar

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2. "A Street Cat Named Bob"

• 2016
• UK, China
• Drama, family, biography
• Director: Roger Spottiswoode
• Starring: Luke Treadaway, Ruta Gedmintas, Joanne Froggatt, Anthony Head, Beth Goddard
• IMDb Rating: 7.3

Luck has turned away from James (Luke Treadaway): he has lost his home. However, he is trying to overcome his drug addiction and is eager to start a new life. A social worker helps him find a place to live, and James earns his bread by singing guitar songs in the park. One day he discovers a ginger street cat at home — and so begins a new page of their story.

The movie is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by James Bowen. The book is based on real events.

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1. "Eight Below"

• 2006
• USA
• Drama, adventure, family
• Director: Frank Marshall
• Starring: Paul Walker, Bruce Greenwood, Moon Bloodgood, Wendy Crewson, Gerard Plunkett
• IMDb Rating: 7.3

Antarctic station employee Jerry Shepard (Paul Walker) and university professor Davis McClaren (Bruce Greenwood) set out on a dog sled to search for a meteorite. On the way back, the professor broke his leg and visited the water, while Jerry suffered frostbite. Due to a strong storm, the station's train was evacuated, but the dogs stayed behind. At first the people were going to return in a few days, but the continuing storm, and then the onset of winter, didn't allow it. The dogs have to survive the Antarctic winter for six months.

The movie is based on a true story: out of 15 huskies left behind at a Japanese Antarctic station, two managed to survive.

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