CULT OF RUNNING
A filmmaker explores Toronto's vibrant running scene, where the line between sport and religion is blurred. The community screening will take place on May 22nd at bevy Toronto. Buy tickets here. Capacity is limited, so act fast!
SYNOPSIS
Between 2023 and 2025, a filmmaker documents the running scene in Toronto, where participation has expanded in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The film observes how running groups form identities and build followings. She meets Darren, a longtime coach who has been involved in running scene since the 1990s. She also meets Tristan and Ben who, despite being newer to the coaching scene than Darren, attract a loyal following of athletes.
At the centre of the story is Darren's ultra relay race, 'Run to Montreal,' an annual event in which runners run from Toronto to Montreal. Since its inception, Darren's club - The RUNWAY - had won every single year. That changed in 2022. Tristan and Ben's club - Blue Devils - broke the course record. Both clubs agreed to a rematch in 2023, which the filmmaker documents.
In addition to that, the film examines contemporary running culture, including the role of social media and consumerism, while documenting the experiences of those who dedicate themselves to the sport in both the track scene and the road scene.
STATS
50 minutes. HD. English. 2026. Canada. Sports Documentary.
MJ Cobb - Director, Editor, Sound Mixer
Jayda Moore - Producer
Aaron Kelly - Camera
Wesley Ellis - Camera
Joshua Laforet - Field Recording
Chris Dekoning - Mentor
David Thompson - Mentor
On 27 February 2026, the film premiered at The Runners Academy in Toronto.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
I wanted to lose weight after COVID. So, when my friend, Cullen Ritchie, invited me to try out for the track and field team, I jumped at the chance.
During my first practice, I felt fat, slow and ridiculous. But I wound up meeting Tristan and Ben. Their zeal for running was infectious. Before I knew it, I was hooked too. During my lectures, all I could think about was running. One afternoon, I ran from downtown Toronto to Clarkson Station. That led to a pretty nasty injury.
At least the Strava post got lots of kudos.
Eventually, I overheard one of my teammates say: "Toronto's running scene is culty."
Huh...
I wanted to take a break from fiction films. They can be so bloody expensive! And, since running now populated my imagination, I thought to myself: "why not make a documentary? I could start production tomorrow, if I really wanted to!" This would be a cake walk compared to fiction filmmaking.
I was completely wrong.
This was the most challenging project I've worked on to date. It forced me to put myself out there, talk to strangers, and extract themes and narratives from hundreds of hours of footage. I gave up on the project at least a dozen times. But I always returned, hungry to crack it.
But when I think about all the people I met because of this project, and how their stories have shaped my own, I'm truly grateful for this project. It was always there for me. My love for documentary filmmaking grows day by day.
I like to say I made this film with five stones and a sling. What God gives us is more than enough. If there's a story on your heart, tell it.