While the world celebrated Friendship Day recently, it is interesting to note that over the years several animals have served as close friends to lead characters in movies. Such movies, popular among both young and old seek to celebrate the connection between humans and their pets. We take a look at a few timeless ones:

Free Willy
A much-loved children’s movie, Free Willy is the story of a foster boy who befriends a captive orca. The film received positive both commercial success and critical acclaim, and has since earned a cult following. Fun fact: Michael Jackson produced and performed Will You Be There, the theme for the film, which can be heard during the film's credits.