A new documentary showcasing previously unseen footage of Terry Fox and his 1980 Marathon of Hope has unveiled its trailer ahead of its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Titled “Run Terry Run,” the film offers a unique perspective on the journey of the British Columbia athlete and cancer research advocate.
The trailer includes insights from key figures such as van driver Doug Alward, Terry Fox’s brother Darrell Fox, and Terry Fox himself, as he embarked on his cross-Canada run to raise funds for cancer research after battling osteogenic sarcoma.
Director Sean Menard obtained nearly 100 reels of archival footage from filmmaker John Simpson, who captured Fox’s run with a team of camera operators. Menard’s quest for this footage, supported by the Terry Fox Foundation, led him to a Toronto storage unit where the reels were discovered and restored to 4K quality.
The documentary, which premiered at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall last year, features voiceovers from individuals closely connected to Fox’s journey, including journalist Leslie Scrivener and former Toronto Maple Leafs captain Darryl Sittler, who ran alongside Fox during part of the Marathon of Hope.
Terry Fox’s legacy continues to inspire, with his original goal of running from St. John’s to Victoria culminating in a 5,373-kilometre journey before his health forced him to halt near Thunder Bay. Despite his passing in 1981, Fox’s efforts raised over $24 million at the time, with the Terry Fox Foundation recently surpassing $1 billion in funds for cancer research.
The documentary offers a fresh perspective on Fox’s evolution from a determined young runner to a symbol of resilience in the face of adversity. Accompanied by an original score from composer Tom Caffey, known for his work on “The Last Dance,” the film is set to premiere at TIFF on Sept. 19, a day before the 46th annual Terry Fox Run, followed by a theatrical release on Oct. 9, 2026.