A new documentary trailer showcasing never-before-seen footage of Terry Fox has been unveiled ahead of its debut at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Titled “Run Terry Run,” the film delves into the 1980 Marathon of Hope undertaken by the British Columbia athlete and cancer research advocate, using nearly 100 reels of recently discovered archival footage.
The trailer includes insights and reflections from key figures such as van driver and friend Doug Alward, Terry Fox’s brother Darrell Fox, and Terry Fox himself as he embarked on his cross-country run at the age of 21 to raise funds for cancer research following the amputation of his leg due to osteogenic sarcoma. In one poignant moment from the trailer, Fox expresses his thoughts on reaching Vancouver and his determination to continue his journey.
Director Sean Menard from Toronto obtained the raw footage from filmmaker John Simpson, who had documented Fox’s run with a team of camera operators starting from the East Coast. Menard’s quest was fueled by the scarcity of high-quality footage available on Fox’s marathon, leading him to locate the footage in a Toronto storage facility with the support of the Terry Fox Foundation. After restoring the film reels to 4K quality, Menard utilized the footage to create the documentary, which premiered at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto last year.
The documentary, as reviewed by Canadian Running, opts for a narrative approach without traditional interview segments, relying instead on voiceovers from key figures such as Alward, Darrell Fox, Leslie Scrivener, and Darryl Sittler, who ran alongside Terry during a segment of his journey.
Terry Fox commenced his Marathon of Hope on April 12, 1980, with the original aim of running from St. John’s to Victoria. Despite having to cut his run short near Thunder Bay, Ontario, due to the spread of cancer to his lungs, Fox’s efforts raised over $24 million at the time, equating to $1 from every Canadian. In a significant milestone, the Terry Fox Foundation announced surpassing $1 billion in funds raised for cancer research earlier this year.
Over the years, Terry Fox has been the subject of several documentaries, with his legacy further recognized by the inclusion of his image on Canada’s upcoming $5 banknote in 2024. The documentary “Run Terry Run,” directed by Menard, captures the transformative journey of a young Terry Fox, culminating in his iconic run and the challenges he faced under the international spotlight.
Accompanied by an original score from composer Tom Caffey, known for his work on projects like “The Last Dance,” “Run Terry Run” is set to premiere at TIFF on September 19, just before the 46th annual Terry Fox Run. The film is scheduled for a theatrical release on October 9, 2026.