A new documentary trailer titled “Run Terry Run” showcasing previously unreleased footage of Terry Fox has been unveiled today, a month before its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The documentary promises a unique perspective on the 1980 Marathon of Hope undertaken by the British Columbia athlete and cancer research advocate, utilizing nearly 100 reels of recently recovered archival footage.
The trailer includes insights and reflections from key individuals such as van driver Doug Alward, Terry Fox’s brother Darrell Fox, and Terry Fox himself as he embarked on his journey to run across Canada to raise funds for cancer research following the amputation of his leg due to osteogenic sarcoma. The footage captures Fox expressing his thoughts on the run, his determination, and his connection to his hometown of Vancouver.
Director Sean Menard of Toronto managed to obtain the raw footage from filmmaker John Simpson, who documented Fox’s run with a team of camera operators from the East Coast. Menard’s quest for authentic documentation was supported by the Terry Fox Foundation, leading to the discovery of the footage in a Toronto storage unit near his residence. The footage was meticulously restored to 4K quality, forming the foundation of the documentary that was initially showcased at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall last year.
The documentary stands out for its narrative approach, avoiding traditional “talking head” interviews and instead relying on 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 during a segment of the marathon.
Terry Fox began his iconic journey on April 12, 1980, with the goal of running from St. John’s to Victoria, covering 5,373 kilometers before being compelled to halt near Thunder Bay, Ontario, due to the cancer spreading to his lungs. Despite his untimely passing in 1981, Fox’s marathon raised over $24 million at that time, equivalent to $1 from every Canadian. In a significant milestone, the Terry Fox Foundation recently surpassed $1 billion in funds raised for cancer research.
Various documentaries have previously explored Terry Fox’s inspirational story, culminating in the announcement in 2024 that his image would adorn Canada’s upcoming $5 banknote. Director Menard’s film captures the transformation of a young, determined Terry Fox into a global icon managing fame and personal challenges. The documentary features an original score by renowned composer Tom Caffey and is set to premiere at TIFF on September 19, 2026, ahead of a theatrical release on October 9, 2026.