The unveiling of a new documentary on Terry Fox, showcasing unreleased footage, occurred today, a month before its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Titled “Run Terry Run,” the documentary provides an intimate portrayal of the 1980 Marathon of Hope by utilizing nearly 100 newly discovered archival reels.
The trailer features insights from key figures like van driver and friend Doug Alward, Terry Fox’s brother Darrell Fox, and Terry Fox himself as he embarked on his iconic cross-Canada run at the age of 21 to raise funds for cancer research post his leg amputation due to osteogenic sarcoma. Fox’s reflections on his journey and dedication are highlighted in the trailer.
Director Sean Menard from Toronto unearthed the raw footage from filmmaker John Simpson, who initially believed the footage had been discarded after creating his own documentary in 1981. Menard’s quest, supported by the Terry Fox Foundation, led him to find the footage in a storage unit in Toronto, which he then restored to 4K quality for his film.
The documentary, screened at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto last year, showcases the Marathon of Hope without conventional interviews, opting instead for voiceovers from key individuals like Alward, Darrell Fox, Leslie Scrivener, and Darryl Sittler.
Terry Fox commenced his marathon on April 12, 1980, ultimately covering 5,373 kilometers before his journey was cut short near Thunder Bay, Ontario, due to cancer spread. Despite his passing in 1981, Fox’s legacy lives on through the substantial funds raised for cancer research, surpassing $1 billion by the Terry Fox Foundation.
Various documentaries have previously depicted Fox’s remarkable story, leading to his depiction on Canada’s $5 banknote in 2024. Menard’s documentary captures Fox’s transformation from a young, inexperienced runner driven by a vision to a confident individual navigating global attention while pushing his boundaries.
The documentary’s original score was composed by Tom Caffey, known for his work on the Michael Jordan Netflix series “The Last Dance.” “Run Terry Run” is set to premiere at TIFF on September 19, 2026, preceding the 46th annual Terry Fox Run, with a theatrical release scheduled for October 9, 2026.
