Actor and filmmaker Zachary Roozen, known for his roles in productions such as Romeo and Juliet Killers (2022) and Into the Dark (2018), is featured in the short film Happy Endings Funeral Parlor, a comedy that explores death through a child’s perspective. Directed by Kevin Boston, the film follows two siblings who face challenges while managing their family’s funeral home, combining grief and humor as a way of coping. The production has captured audiences, becoming a favorite at the LA Shorts Film Festival and recently screened at the Soho International Film Festival. Roozen, who has had his projects showcased in over 70 festivals worldwide, is also a producer and the founder of Two Harbors and the new media company Trustd Critics.
Happy Endings Funeral Parlor explores death with a touch of humor. How did you balance these sensitive themes in a way that didn’t lose respect but still brought lightness to the film?
Understandably, death is often viewed as such a heavy and morbid topic. It can be scary and mysterious… as far as we know nobody’s ever been back through that one way door. Ha! At the same time, humor provides an opportunity to investigate it and suggest there is something comfortably ironic about dying being universal and unavoidable. Get cozy with it because we will all be there someday. This film plays on that investigation and highlights a business servicing the dead and their loved ones. It may suggest that the uncertainty of the living is a certainty you can count on.
We know that the film has already been featured in festivals like LA Shorts and Soho International Film Festival. How has the audience reception been so far, and what do you hope viewers take away from this experience?
It has been absolutely incredible! It’s always a little nerve racking pulling up to the venues. Kyle and I sit in the very back and strap in like astronauts, hoping we don’t explode. You take so much time to produce something and as much as you want to not care what other people think, the little child brain kicks in to scream, ‘you suck, ya lameo’! Ha! We are genuinely floored with the positive receptions and to see our film sold out at all the festivals. Our goal with this project is to make the audience laugh. When we see smiles on people’s faces as they leave, or audible gasps in the crowd, we know we’ve done our job!
What were the biggest challenges you faced in portraying the relationship between grief and humor in this film? Were there moments when you worried about how the audience would react?
For me, grief and humor go hand in hand. You can’t have or appreciate one without the other. Humor can be a great way to process grief and lead to an emotional catharsis that makes something as scary and unknown as death more digestible. I think the key in storytelling is to focus less on how the audience will react and more on how each beat structurally serves the story and characters. You are the architect, making it so that the audience can do the feeling. Stay out of the way of the audience – tell the story!
The film focuses on the comedic misadventures of two brothers running a struggling funeral home. How was it working with this cast and developing the chemistry between the characters to set the right tone?
Independent filmmaking has such a truncated timeline so casting is so vital to the success of a project. You don’t have the luxury of workshopping scenes or going page by page through the script with actors. We got very lucky with our cast, most of which are close friends, so that helps calm a lot of the uncertainty. Everyone came so prepared and ready to work. The job of the actor on a film set is to come with a fully fleshed character from the jump. It is very different from stage that way. You need to come prepared to make compelling choices and to think fast on your feet. All of our actors are pros and we were thrilled with our selections.
You have a solid background in film and television. How has this experience in larger productions influenced your work as an actor and producer in Happy Endings Funeral Parlor?
Before this film I had experience in several pillars of entertainment for pretty major companies: story development, casting, and editing to name a few. A producer has to pull on a lot of resources to complete a film, so it doesn’t hurt to be a jack of all traits. In a way you are the CEO of the ship, so you have to be a good communicator and make sure that all the departments are working cohesively to serve the same vision. Then you give them creative freedom to run with their unique talents to serve that higher objective. It is never easy but always rewarding to get a film to the big screen.
In addition to acting, you also produce films through your company Two Harbors and your production house Trustd Critics. What led you to expand your career into production, and how do these two roles complement each other for you?
As an actor I got tired of being so beholden to others for opportunities. I think waiting around can be the death of a lot of artists. I took back agency in my career by developing and producing my own content through two distinct companies. Two Harbors serves as the narrative arm for producing scripted projects, whilst Trustd Critics handles my new media division. I am most proud that the companies can be conduits for bringing together groups of creatives and showcasing voices from all walks of life.
What can the audience expect from future projects you are developing? Is there a specific theme or story you’re excited to tell after Happy Endings Funeral Parlor?
This film is really just a launching point for what’s to come. We are very excited to announce a slate of features in development as well as a television pilot early next year. Our vision is to bring back the joy of cinema and to get people buying movie tickets again. There are too many people suffering out there who need film to inspire, excite, and lift their spirits. WE want to be the vessel for providing that entertainment.
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