The unveiling of a fresh documentary showcasing previously unreleased footage of Terry Fox occurred today, a month ahead of its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Titled “Run Terry Run,” the documentary provides an intimate glimpse into the 1980 Marathon of Hope undertaken by the British Columbia athlete and advocate for cancer research, using close to 100 recently recovered archival reels.
The trailer showcases conversations and insights from key figures such as Doug Alward, a friend and van driver, Darrell Fox, Terry’s younger brother, and Terry Fox himself during his ambitious cross-Canada run at the age of 21 to raise funds for cancer research after losing his leg to osteogenic sarcoma. In the trailer, Fox expresses his thoughts on reaching Vancouver and his determination to continue his mission.
Director Sean Menard from Toronto obtained the raw footage from filmmaker John Simpson, who documented Fox’s journey with multiple camera operators from the East Coast. Despite Simpson’s belief that the footage had been discarded, Menard, with assistance from the Terry Fox Foundation, located the footage in a Toronto storage facility near his home. Menard meticulously restored the film reels to 4K quality to create his documentary, which premiered at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall last year.
Notably, the documentary omits traditional interview setups, opting instead for voiceovers from Alward, Darrell Fox, Leslie Scrivener, the first journalist to cover the Marathon of Hope, and Darryl Sittler, former captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs who accompanied Terry during a segment of the run.
Terry Fox initiated his marathon on April 12, 1980, following a cancer diagnosis three years earlier. Despite falling short of his initial goal to run from St. John’s to Victoria and halting near Thunder Bay, Ontario, due to cancer spreading to his lungs, Fox’s endeavor raised over $24 million at the time, equivalent to $1 per Canadian. In a recent milestone, the Terry Fox Foundation surpassed $1 billion in funds for cancer research.
Various documentaries have previously focused on Fox, including Simpson’s work and the 1983 film “The Terry Fox Story.” In 2024, the Bank of Canada announced plans to feature Fox on the upcoming $5 banknote.
Menard described his documentary as a portrayal of Fox’s growth from a hesitant runner with a grand vision to a young man navigating global attention while challenging his boundaries. The film’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, preceding the 46th annual Terry Fox Run, with a theatrical release scheduled for October 9, 2026.