The unveiling of a fresh documentary showcasing Terry Fox with exclusive footage has occurred today, preceding its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) by a month. Titled “Run Terry Run,” the documentary delves into the 1980 Marathon of Hope undertaken by the British Columbia athlete and cancer research advocate using nearly 100 newly unearthed archival reels.
The trailer includes conversations and insights from Doug Alward, the van driver and friend, Darrell Fox, Terry Fox’s younger brother, and Terry Fox himself, as he embarked on a cross-Canada run at the age of 21 to raise funds for cancer research following the amputation of his leg due to osteogenic sarcoma.
Toronto filmmaker Sean Menard obtained the original footage from filmmaker John Simpson, who documented Fox’s journey with multiple camera operators from the East Coast. Menard’s quest to find firsthand documentation of Fox’s marathon was supported by the Terry Fox Foundation, leading to the discovery of the footage in a Toronto storage unit near Menard’s residence.
After restoring the film reels to 4K quality, Menard utilized them to create his documentary, which premiered at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall last year. The documentary eschews traditional interviews, opting for 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 commenced his marathon on April 12, 1980, aiming to run from St. John’s to Victoria but had to halt his attempt near Thunder Bay, Ontario, after the cancer spread to his lungs. Despite his passing in 1981, his run raised over $24 million at the time, equivalent to $1 from each Canadian. Recently, the Terry Fox Foundation celebrated surpassing $1 billion in funds raised for cancer research.
Various documentaries have depicted Fox’s story in the past, including Menard’s film shedding light on Fox’s personal growth throughout his journey. The documentary features an original score by U.S. composer 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, a day before the 46th annual Terry Fox Run, with a theatrical release scheduled for October 9, 2026.
