The unveiling of a fresh documentary on Terry Fox, showcasing previously unreleased footage, occurred today, a month before its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Titled “Run Terry Run,” the documentary delves into the 1980 Marathon of Hope undertaken by the British Columbia athlete and cancer research advocate, utilizing nearly 100 recently discovered archival reels.
The trailer provides insight through conversations with van driver and friend Doug Alward, Terry Fox’s brother Darrell Fox, and Terry Fox himself as he embarked on his cross-Canada run at 21, aiming to raise funds for cancer research following the amputation of his leg due to osteogenic sarcoma. In the trailer, Fox expresses his thoughts about home and his determination to continue his journey towards Vancouver’s ocean.
Director Sean Menard from Toronto obtained the raw footage from filmmaker John Simpson, who initially believed the footage had been discarded after producing his own documentary in 1981. Motivated by the scarcity of quality footage on Fox’s marathon, Menard, with support from the Terry Fox Foundation, located the footage in a Toronto storage facility near his residence. The reels were restored to 4K quality and used to create the documentary, which premiered at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto last year.
The documentary, as reviewed by Canadian Running, avoids traditional interviews and instead incorporates voiceovers from key figures like Alward, Darrell Fox, Leslie Scrivener, the first journalist to cover the Marathon of Hope, and Darryl Sittler, the former captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs who ran alongside Terry.
Terry Fox initiated his marathon on April 12, 1980, pursuing his goal to run from St. John’s to Victoria, covering 5,373 kilometers before halting near Thunder Bay, Ontario, due to the spreading cancer. Despite his passing in 1981, his courageous effort raised over $24 million at the time, equivalent to $1 from every Canadian. In a recent milestone, the Terry Fox Foundation surpassed $1 billion in funds for cancer research.
Various documentaries have previously highlighted Fox’s story, and in 2024, the Bank of Canada announced his depiction on the upcoming $5 banknote. Menard described his film as a portrayal of Fox’s growth from a hesitant runner with a grand vision to a young man navigating the global spotlight while challenging his boundaries. The documentary’s original score was composed by Tom Caffey, known for his work on the Michael Jordan Netflix series.
“Run Terry Run” is set to premiere at TIFF on September 19, just before the 46th annual Terry Fox Run, with a theatrical release scheduled for October 9, 2026.
