Tegan and Sara bring 'love letter to the '90s' to Calgary with High School première

Calgary's own Tegan and Sara call their upcoming Amazon series a "love letter to the '90s."

Both the Quin sisters were in town Thursday for the Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) première of High School at the Eau Claire theatre.

Debuting the show in the city they grew up in made sense, Tegan said.

Tegan pointed out the show was shot here and is about the time of their lives when they resided here.

Sara said the show is about Calgary as much as it's about them.

"We actually shot at our high school, Crescent Heights. We're very proud of Crescent Heights. It's a super beautiful school and we had a great time going there," Sara said.

"You'll see a North Hill Mall shout-out. Sears," Tegan said.

"Oh my god, Sears," Sara said.

"It's a real love letter to the '90s. I think Calgarians will love the show. I think Albertans will love it ... Canadians and anyone who loved the '90s will love the show," Tegan said.

High School is based on the memoir of the same name the Quin sisters penned a few years back.

Tegan said it was important for the young musicians to tell their story "about coming out, the origin story not only of our band but of us figuring out who we are."

And Tegan said creating the show was equally important.

"I don't know that there are very many shows that give a very unvarnished look at what it's like just to be a teenager and be queer and be figuring out who you are," Tegan said.

"We're very proud of the end result."

High School will be released through Amazon in October and stars Railey Gilliland and Seazynn Gilliland, who came into the roles without much in the way of experience.

Sara said they were exactly the pair that needed to be cast.

"We found them on TikTok," Sara said.

"They were working at a pizza joint in Fresno, Calif., and Tegan and I felt they were compelling, watchable, charismatic and super cool, and we fought to have them play us even though they are not actors and they are not musicians.

"I think they absolutely kill it."

For the CIFF audience on Thursday, the first three episodes of High School were shown.