Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy have reminisced about making The Breakfast Club at the SXSW screening of the fully-restored 1985 film.

The actresses, who portrayed Claire Standish and Allison Reynolds respectively in John Hughes’ coming-of-age drama, were reunited at the Paramount Theatre in Austin, Texas.

To kick off the South by Southwest film festival screening, which commemorated the film’s 30th anniversary, the Barton Hills Choir serenaded attendees with their own rendition of the movie’s theme song, Simple Minds’ hit Don’t You (Forget About Me).

The pair took part in a question-and-answer session, after the remastered movie was shown.

Ally, who now volunteers as a teacher at LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts, said the movie’s message was a loving one.

“You do matter, we are interested in you, and we’re going to tell your story,” she said, adding that she was a bit lonely after production wrapped.

The film, which also stars Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall and Judd Nelson, follows five teenagers as they spend Saturday in detention at the fictional Shermer High School in Illinois, and how they bond despite their differences.

Mother-of-three Molly had a wake-up call when she found out her teenage daughter related most to Anthony’s character, Brian Johnson.

Nicknamed “the Brain”, Brian was a straight-A student who attempted suicide after flunking an assignment in shop class.

“She felt that I had too many expectations on her,” Molly said. “It was this incredible moment where I realised I was the parent.”

Molly and Ally also spoke of their admiration for the film’s writer and director, John Hughes, who died in 2009.

The anniversary edition of The Breakfast Club will be available on Blu-ray and Digital Ultraviolet from April 6.