A True Canadian Hero: First Trailer for ‘Run Terry Run’ is a Source of Inspiration
One of the most inspirational films of the year, Run Terry Run, has teased its first trailer to remind audiences of one of Canada’s greatest icons.
‘Run Terry Run’ follows Canadian hero Terry Fox, who, after being diagnosed with cancer and losing his leg, began the Marathon of Hope, in which he would run all across Canada solo in an effort to raise money for cancer research. The film, which contains never-before-seen and thought-to-be-lost footage shot by documentarian John Simpson, seeks to shed a more raw and personal look at the Marathon of Hope and Terry Fox’s historic journey.
Terry Fox was born on July 28th, 1958, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The family eventually settled in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, where Terry would grow up. Terry was highly athletic (specifically in running and basketball), two activities he kept up with even after a cancer diagnosis in 1977, which cost him his right leg. Dreaming of running across Canada one day, Terry decided to turn this into a charitable endeavour, the Marathon of Hope, to raise money for cancer research. Running the equivalent of a full marathon every day, Terry would capture the minds and hearts of the country and raised $1.7 million dollars by the time his marathon was cut short, as his cancer returned. He would pass away nine months later. However, his determination and spirit would continue through the Terry Fox Foundation, which continues to operate to this day. Terry’s story is taught in Canadian schools, along with having statues and memorials dedicated to him. He will also soon be featured on the $5 bill.
This new look at Terry Fox is the newest feature documentary from Canadian filmmaker Sean Menard, director of the indefinitely-delayed 299 Queen Street West, a look at Canada’s iconic MuchMusic television channel, a film that has gone unreleased to a wider audience due to prevailing licensing issues. While touring the film across Canada, Menard found himself thinking of Terry’s own journey in crossing Canada. While watching clips of Terry on YouTube with his wife, Menard commented on the low quality of the presented footage and wondered if the original reels still existed in some form.
The film reels in question were courtesy of documentary filmmaker John Simpson, who followed his journey with a camera crew. He would go on to edit the footage (with the backing of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) into the documentary film Terry Fox: I Had a Dream. Following the airing of the film on CBC, Simpson entrusted the footage shot to the Terry Fox Foundation. However, the footage remained in storage and was thought by the foundation to have been discarded in the intervening years. Once discovered and upon Sean Menard getting in contact with both the Terry Fox Foundation and the Fox Family, the reels were restored, and the never-before-seen footage was edited into Run Terry Run, featuring audio interviews with Terry and his companions, some of which even the Fox Family had never seen or heard before. The film had its premiere at Toronto’s own Roy Thomson Hall in November 2025 (complete with a live orchestra performing the score).
Of the film, Sean Menard hopes that at the end of the day, it will be a source of inspiration for all who see it, just as Terry was and still is to so many.