‘Run Terry Run’: Terry Fox documentary unveils heart and humanity of Canadian hero

Director and producer Sean Menard and Kirsten Fox, Terry Fox's niece, discuss the never-before-seen footage being unveiled in the new documentary.

A new documentary gives audiences an unprecedented look into the iconic journey and legacy of Canadian hero Terry Fox.

Featuring never-before-seen family footage, an advanced screening of the film, “Run Terry Run,” is set to premiere on Nov. 10 with a unique live performance by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra at Roy Thomson Hall.

Director and producer Sean Menard told CTV’s Your Morning in an interview on Thursday the responsibility that came with editing and selecting from nearly 100 uncovered reels from the Fox family archives, which haven’t been opened in decades.

The film shows a behind-the-scenes look at Terry Fox’s legendary 1980 Marathon of Hope.

“I think it’s very emotional, because you’re dealing with a figure that everyone knows, but they don’t really know,” Menard explained.

“That was the goal: how do I get people to understand who this 21-year-old was, what he went through out there, and get a sense of his determination and the risks he was taking,” he added.

Menard said it’s visible in the documentary with footage of Fox running along the highways of Canada’s East Coast and cars whizzing by him at the time.

Kristen Fox, Terry’s niece and director of community development at the Terry Fox Foundation for B.C. and Yukon, reflected on viewing the rough cut for her family.

“It’s incredible. It’s a really intimate look at Terry to hear him say things I’ve never heard him say before. I see his sense of humour, his determination, just really the humanity of who he was and I hope people connect with who he is when they see the movie,” she said.

Menard said the little things, like hearing his laugh gives a sense of who he was.

“A lot of the statues and photos and video, you see that grit and determination, which he had, of course, but there’s a whole other side of him that you get to see,” he said.

Proceeds from the advanced screening will go to benefit cancer research in Canada - a cause close to the Fox family’s mission.

“We still fundraise for cancer research. That’s exactly what Terry wanted,” Kirsten Fox said. ”All that money raised, we’re putting to good use. It really is bringing hope, where we’re seeing people live longer, better treatments, better outcomes to cancer.

“That’s what Terry wanted,” she added. “We won’t stop until we find a cure and we finish it for him.”