Calabria, the toe of the Italian boot, is one of the country’s poorest and least developed regions. However the ’Ndrangheta, whose historical roots run deep there, turns over billions through the criminal activities that its numerous clans control. The town of Rizziconi, in the Gioia Tauro plain, is no exception. In 2011, Andy Rocchelli documented the local chronicle for the Calabria Ora newspaper. This role afforded an excellent opportunity to use his photographs to record various sides of a society that has at times proved capable of standing up to the ’Ndrangheta-imposed mafia regime. He also documents the thread of the uncertain life of migrants in the slums of Calabria. On Christmas day 2012 Andy is in Rosarno during the Orange harvesting period, more than 1000 North Africans converge from all over Italy towards the ghetto of San Ferdinando.
