Despite Barbie and Oppenheimer being the most talked about films at the moment, I’d like to discuss a slightly different film, and one that I think the great Manx public should try and watch.

It’s ‘Grandad and the Pier’, a film showing the ongoing restoration work of the Queen’s Pier in Ramsey.

Made by Reuben Armstrong, it focuses on his grandfather Tom, better known as Grandad Biff, and his relationship with the pier along with other volunteers.

Supported by Culture Vannin, the documentary focuses on one simple question posed by Tom: ‘Are we going to save the pier, or are we going to demolish it?’

Tom Durrant is a founding member of the Queen’s Pier Restoration Trust, which is a charity raising money through public subscription and donations as well as the volunteered skills held by the people of the island to carry out the work to repair the pier and bring it back to its former glory.

The pier was originally opened in 1886 and was shut in 1990 due to safety concerns, something Tom disagreed with.

Outlining the bid to save the pier, the film starts with the early protests in the 1990s all the way through to the current day where Tom and his fellow volunteers have managed to inspire a community in to action, through fundraising and working hard.

The film follows Tom from his house in Ramsey, where he looks at old photos of the pier as well as detailed sketches and blueprints he’s collected, to him walking on to the first bays of the pier which have been completed.

Grandad Biff comes across as a man who wants the best for the future, and it is clear how much the pier being restored means to him, regardless of when that will be.

A quote that sticks out from the film is: ‘How can an 87 year old have anything to do with how it’s going to be in the future? You can’t. But you can have enough imagination to see what they could do. It’s for the next generation.’

This made me think about how selfless the people are who are dedicating time and effort in to this pier, they’re elderly and know they won’t be here, but they want this historical landmark in the north of the island to be here for the future generations to enjoy.

Throughout the hour-long film it shows other people with the same passion and like-mindedness as Tom, who have become heavily involved in the restoration.

A notable character is Michele Tramontana, who is a painter and historian who arrived in the Isle of Man as a 19-year-old from Sicily.

He fell in love with a Manx girl, and ran the Queen’s Pier Hotel in Ramsey, and his love for not just the pier but Ramsey as a town is evident in the film.

When he talks about the state of Ramsey now in comparison to what it was like when he arrived you can hear the emotion behind his words, and he’s adamant that change is needed.

Another character who you immediately sense is vital in the work on the pier when he is on screen is Captain Stuart McKenzie, who is the project manager of the restoration project and seems to overlook operations from the Portakabin at the start of the pier.

An experienced marine engineer, we see him in his Portakabin in all weathers, and it appears that he’s the calm and collected head who balances the team out.

He’s often asked when the whole project will be completed, but not willing to put a time frame on it, he always replies: ‘Yes’.

The various characters we meet throughout the film further add to the community feel to the project, none more so than when the women behind the project are introduced.

These women have been crucial in raising the funds for the scheme, without whom none of what has been achieved thus far would’ve been possible.

The film shows them working together and sharing memories whilst trying to think of ideas to bring in more funds.

One of my favourite scenes is in the Harbour View Bistro in Ramsey, where crowds gathered for a fundraiser, and whilst the film shows the amount of money raised and the importance of the funds for the project, it also shows the laughter and happiness of all the people there. It really is bringing a group of people together and it’s evidently something they’re passionate about, and it comes across in the film.

Whilst it heavily focuses on the past and present life of the pier, part of the story is about what comes next.

Another scene that really emphasises the fact that the volunteers believe this project is one for future generations is when Tom Durrant visited Ramsey Grammar School to engage with the students on the work the Trust is doing, giving them an understanding of how the pier is built and allowing them to come up with ideas and plans for the pier upon its completion.

The children seemed to enjoy the experience and the film showing this gave us an idea of how the volunteers want the pier to be - a community area.

With the filming for Grandad and the Pier starting in 2019, the film shows us through the Covid lockdowns and how difficult it was for the volunteers of QPRT to continue work.

It also showed Tom’s difficulties answering zoom calls, with this gentle humour a recurring theme throughout the film.

Despite the troubles that came with Covid, we could see that the team of volunteers worked together, often one person on the pier at a time in order to safely social distance themselves, and got through it.

The film draws to a close by announcing the number of bays completed (six) and how many are to go (54) with Grandad Tom walking on the pier and looking out.

An appropriate and fitting ending to a film I’d encourage everyone to watch.

However, it might be difficult to watch it in the Isle of Man for a little while, as there are plans to take the film on tour across the UK and beyond, with dates booked in for Hastings, Bristol, Falmouth, Clevedon, Deal, Great Yarmouth and many more.

The film was also recently selected for AFFR (Architecture Film Festival Rotterdam), so will be shown to an international audience in October.

The director, Reuben Armstrong, said the film’s aim was to raise awareness of the project on island and further afield.

He said: ‘We made this film to capture the inspirational actions of the community on the island who have made this ambitious project become a reality. Our aim is to raise awareness of the ongoing project and it’s particularly poignant to see the generational divide that the project has bridged.

‘I was inspired to start filming by my own Grandad, Tom Durrant, whose vision and persuasive spirit have sparked this all to life. We spoke to a wide range of ages, from the pier’s octogenarian volunteers, to teenagers in the local school.’

For updates on future screenings and to see the film’s trailer visit: reubenandjamie.com