Watch online the Ossigeno documentary dedicated to Italian reporter Andrea Rocchelli

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The video reconstructs the human and professional figure of the photojournalist killed in Donbass in 2014

OSSIGENO 9^th June 2022 – The documentary “Ciao Andy, a hug from Pavia” is online on the Ossigeno YouTube channel. It is dedicated to Andrea Rocchelli, a young photojournalist killed in Donbass on 24 May 2014 while documenting the conditions of the civilians involved in the conflict between Ukrainians and pro-Russian separatists.

Produced by Ossigeno per l’Informazione in collaboration with the Volpi Scapigliate association, it was premiered in the journalist’s hometown, in the lecture hall of the University of Pavia, on the 27th September 2021. From the 9th June it is available on the web. It was presented on the occasion of the conference “War, peace, information – The risks of journalists. The case of Ukraine” organized by Ossigeno in the auditorium of the Casa del Jazz in Rome.

The documentary collects the memories of Andy’s friends and those who knew him, the images of his reportages granted to Ossigeno by his family, the testimonies of the students of the “Alessandro Volta” High School in Pavia who in 2019 painted the roadside barriers present in the streets of the city centre with the techniques of street art, inspired by the history and values ​​in which Andy believed. The video also traces the main stages of the legal proceedings regarding the photojournalist on whose death the Italian justice system was unable to shed full light, as happens in almost all the non-random killings of journalists in war zones, a topic detailed in the Ossigeno dossier “Wars, journalists killed and impunity “(read here)

“When a war reporter is killed we cannot get away with saying that he went to the wrong place, that it is his fault or that it is nobody’s fault. We want this to stop happening”, said Alberto Spampinato, president of Ossigeno, in presenting the documentary.

Andrea photographed violated human rights and forgotten conflicts. He was a young man who was passionate about his work, a loving friend, a dreamer, and a free spirit. He was dedicated to volunteerism and sought the truth behind things.

The reflections collected bore witness that eight years after his death, the memory of him is always very much alive in his city and nourishes a desire for justice.

A student in the documentary remarks, “We thank Andy for opening our eyes to the world and to the need to seek the truth in defence of rights”.

“This experience – another student says – made me understand how important it is to participate in public life as an active citizen, and how significant and precarious is the situation of freelance journalists who lose their lives in the name of truth”.

Ossigeno invites everyone, especially the youngest, to view the documentary, available at this link: https://youtu.be/zktB2P4iP3c