The most emotionally satisfying and resonant of the family shorts in this year's Family Shorts program for the HollyShorts Film Festival, "Gerald's Last Day" is an emotionally riveting animated short about Gerald, a mutt due to be euthanized at the end of the day.

Have you ever visited an animal shelter and thought to yourself "Boy, these dogs and cats are sure trying hard to sell themselves?"

"Gerald's Last Day" is most powerful because Justin and Shel Rasch beautifully bring to life the expressive hopefulness of this overweight, odd-looking little pooch as he imagines his life with each person who walks by and tries to become their ideal pet.

At times sad and other times hopeful, "Gerald's Last Day" is beautifully constructed, intelligently written and ends with a master stroke of tenderness and gentle connection.

Winner of the Best Animation prize at the 2009 International Family Film Festival, "Gerald's Last Day" is 12-minutes of animated perfection.