Richard Dennison is an Australian documentary filmmaker.

His adventure films explore the limits of human endurance and survival; sometimes searching beyond those limits. Wildlife films produced by Orana Films are about people who fight for the rights of all creatures - especially sharks.

Historical documentaries focus on the extraordinary by-products of conflict - a Mutiny on the Western Front; or the fascinating process of rebuilding misfits in the French Foreign Legion

French Foreign Legion

The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...

. Travel and culture programs lead to some strange personal destinations.

Orana Films

Richard Dennison is a founder of ORANA Films, one of Australia's most respected documentary productions. Most documentary makers are slightly twisted. Some are fascinated by the dark side; this one looks at life's struggles through the lens of hope. Richard Dennison is an international award winning producer and director with a taste for unusual adventures that reveal as much about people as they do about the time and space through which they travel. His company, Orana Films, has produced more than thirty documentaries and many co-productions with the world's leading broadcasters.

Orana Films has produced more than thirty documentaries and many co-productions with the world's leading broadcasters. These include National Geographic; ZDF Germany; BBC

BBC

The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...

, ITV

ITV

ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...

 and Channel 4 UK

Channel 4

Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...

; Antenne

Antenne

The Antenne is a 48.3 km long river in the Charente-Maritime département, in southwestern France. Its source is in the commune of Fontaine-Chalendray.- External links :...

, 2 France; RAI

RAI

RAI — Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian state owned public service broadcaster controlled by the Ministry of Economic Development. Rai is the biggest television company in Italy...

 Italy; ABC

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...

 Australia, and many others.

Filmography

Various documentaries Produced by Richard Dennison through Orana Films.

Pioneers of Love.

A Glorious Way to Die.

Lasseter's Lost Gold.

Baseclimb.

Birdman of Kilimanjaro.

Blue Wet and Wild .

Blue Wilderness .

Bushfire - Animal Rescue.

Chasing the Midnight Sun.

Continent of Fire.

Echo of a Distant Drum.

Everest By Balloon.

Flight of the Wind Horse.

Give Sharks a Chance.

Journey of Origin - Chile.

Legion of the Damned.

Little Dove - Big Voyage.

Miracle at Sea.

Mutiny on the Western Front.

Off the Rails.

On a Wing and a Prayer.

Passage out of Paradise.

Risk.

Rite of Passage.

Russian Brides.

Shark Shocker.

The Fatal Game.

The Fremantle Conspiracy.

The Great Camel Race.

The Human Race.

The Realm of the Shark.

The Social Climbers.

Awards

Dennisons films are highly acclaimed worldwide and have won many awards.

Graz Film Festival - Austria

Off The Rails - Winner Best Adventure Film 2002

The Fatal Game - Winner Best Alpine Film 1997

Mountainfilm in Telluride

Mountainfilm in Telluride

Mountainfilm in Telluride is America’s premier festival celebrating achievement in adventure and activism, culture and environment, held annually over Memorial Day weekend in Telluride, Colorado since 1979....

 - USA

The Fatal Game - Best Climbing Film, Telluride

A Glorious Way To Die - Mountain Spirit Award, Telluride

International Mountaineering Film Festival - Czech Republic

Off The rails - Winner Man and Mountain Award

A Glorious Way To Die - Winner Best Mountain Film

International Festival of Mountain Films - Poprad, Slovakia

Off The rails - Winner Grand Prize 2003

A Glorious Way To Die - Winner Grand Prize

The Fatal Game - Winner Grand Prize 1997

Film Festival Maritime Exploration - Toulon France

Miracle At Sea - Winner Best Film Toulon Festival 1998

The Fatal Game - Winner Best Extreme Film Toulon 1996

Banff Mountain Film Festival

Banff Mountain Film Festival

The Banff Mountain Film Festival is an international film competition and an annual presentation of short films and documentaries about mountain culture, sports, and environment. It was launched in 1976 as The Banff Festival of Mountain Films by The Banff Centre and is held every fall in Banff,...

- Canada

The Fatal Game - Best Film about Climbing 1997

A Glorious Way To Die - Best Mountain Sport Film

The Human Race - People's Choice Award Banff

Special Awards

Mutiny on the Western Front

Winner of United Nations Peace Prize

Logie Award for Best Documentary

AFI Award for best editing

Sources

• ORANA Films website