A new documentary trailer showcasing never-before-seen footage of Terry Fox has been unveiled ahead of its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) next month. Titled “Run Terry Run,” the film delves into Fox’s 1980 Marathon of Hope using nearly 100 reels of recently recovered archival material.
The trailer includes insights from key figures such as van driver Doug Alward, Fox’s brother Darrell Fox, and Fox himself as he embarked on his ambitious cross-Canada run to raise funds for cancer research. The recovered footage, originally thought to be lost, was obtained by Toronto director Sean Menard from filmmaker John Simpson, who documented Fox’s journey with multiple camera operators.
Menard’s quest for authentic documentation of Fox’s marathon led him to discover the footage in a storage unit near his home, which he then restored to 4K quality for the documentary. The film, first screened at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto last year, features voiceovers from individuals closely associated with Fox’s journey, avoiding traditional interview formats.
Despite Fox’s untimely passing in 1981, his Marathon of Hope raised over $24 million at the time, equivalent to $1 from every Canadian. The Terry Fox Foundation recently surpassed $1 billion in funds raised for cancer research. Fox’s legacy has been explored in various documentaries, with his image set to appear on Canada’s $5 banknote in 2024.
Menard’s documentary chronicles Fox’s evolution from a determined 21-year-old runner with a grand vision to a young man navigating global attention while testing his own limits. The film’s original score was composed by Tom Caffey, known for his work on projects like the Michael Jordan Netflix series “The Last Dance.”
“Run Terry Run” is set to premiere at TIFF on September 19, ahead of the 46th annual Terry Fox Run, with a theatrical release scheduled for October 9, 2026.