A documentary charting the community effort to restore Ramsey’s Queen’s Pier is to be made available to watch online for free.
Grandad & The Pier will premiere on YouTube on Friday, October 9, following screenings at film festivals, cinemas and other venues in the Isle of Man and overseas.
Directed by Reuben Armstrong, the film follows the first phase of the Queen’s Pier restoration project between 2016 and 2022, focusing on Armstrong’s grandfather, campaigner Tom Durrant, and the volunteers behind the work.
The 2,241ft pier, which opened in 1886, spent 25 years closed between 1991 and 2016 because of safety concerns.
The film documents how a campaign led by members of the community helped secure the pier’s future, with Durrant and nine-year-old fundraiser Alfie among those involved when it was reopened.
However, more than 1,800ft remains to be restored and the trust is continuing to seek volunteers, materials, equipment, sponsorship and financial donations.
Armstrong said the film’s international journey had exceeded his expectations.
‘I never expected this film to go as far round the world,’ he said.
‘I had an idea that we could tour it to British towns with piers, but to hear positive reactions from international audiences still blows my mind.’
The film has screened at festivals in cities including Rotterdam, Bologna, Budapest, Bucharest, Barcelona and Seoul, and has also been shown at venues across the UK and Isle of Man.
It received a UNESCO Biosphere Award for Engagement in 2023 and was named Best Inspirational film at the Barcelona Indie Awards in 2024.
The film was produced with support from Culture Vannin and Watershed/Pervasive Media Studio.