Set on the corner of Congress and east 8th street, the 81-year-old Stateside Theatre at the Paramount is an historic building, ideal for “The Waiting” premier. Travelers to Austin are encouraged to catch a flick here to supplement the rest of their time in the city. The theatre’s original façade set the stage for an old-fashioned viewing, a timeless experience that can’t be obtained at a bigger chain.

The roped-off line, which quickly wrapped around the corner and grew for blocks down 8th street, filled the air with excitement for the eclectically-casted movie. Upon arrival the cast’s enthusiasm mirrored the crowd down the street, with the younger cast, lead by Keir Gilchrist and Logan Miller, eating up the red carpet cameras with light-hearted, effervescent poses. Equally excited, the veteran cast highlighted by James Caan followed, with a more subdued been-there-before aura. Caan, a legendary actor with over 129 credits to his name, was particularly eager for the budding cast members’ opportunity to get noticed, and was interested in the crowd’s reaction to the film.

“I had the opportunity to work with some great up-and-coming actors making a name for themselves,” Caan exclaimed. “The movie was a lot of fun to be involved in and I guess were going to see whether or not it flunks tonight.”

The overall sense of premiering the film at South by Southwest was a particularly special place for the cast. The film festival, and conference as a whole, continually grows every year, adding more offerings with increased prestige. Gilchrist and Miller echoed these sentiments, as well as their pleasure with the turnout.

“I am really excited to have it premiere here at SXSW, it seems so far like we are going to have a really good turnout,” Gilchrist stated. “I saw the line before wrapping around the block. That’s always really exciting to see.”

“Same as Keir. I’m really excited to be having it here at SXSW. I’m just excited to be surrounded be all these great actors and people,” Miller proclaimed. “We are blessed to have the following we do. All these people are going to see my pretty face on the big screen tonight!”

The bond amongst the cast was real, and it could be seen throughout the film. Miller and Gilchrist had a particularly close bond, with their like-minded joker mentality spilling into the movie’s storyline.

“Me and this guy go way back. I practically consider this joker like a brother to me,” Miller said. “He’s a great person and surprisingly enough, great to work with.”

“That sounds about right we’ve been friends for a really long time. When I heard that they were looking to cast another roll and found out Logan was involved I knew this was going to be a really fun production.”

It definitely was, and it’s a movie that is well-worth the watch. It could be ideal for the next road trip or flight that you’re on!