Fortissimo Films has finalised a deal for Wild Side Films to handle French rights to the Jonathan Demme documentary feature Marley.

Wild Side, the specialised distribution company owned by Wild Bunch, will co-distribute on all media platforms in France with La Pacte Films.

The film will be produced and directed by Jonathan Demme (Silence Of The Lambs, Stop Making Sense, Rachel Getting Married).

The authorised documentary has the support of Marley's family who have endorsed the project from the beginning and are now collaborating with Demme and his team.

Currently in production, Marley is being produced by Shangri-La Entertainment, Tuff Gong Pictures and Jonathan Demme and H H Cooper of Clinica Estetico LTD. The deal was brokered between Fortissimo's senior vice president, sales and acquisitions Winnie Lau and Wild Side Films' COO Manuel Chiche.

Announcing the deal Lau commented 'We are very happy that Marley will be released in France by Manuel Chiche and his Wild Side Films; alongside Jean Labadie at Le Pacte. Both of them are big fans of Bob Marley's music but even more so, both of them understand the incredible inspirational life that Bob Marley led and his impact it still has on our daily life. To them and us Marley is timeless.'

Wild Side's Manuel Chiche added 'Marley and Demme is a great combination and we feel that all the emotion and impact of Marley's music will find be perfectly captured in Jonathan Demme's work.'

Marley will not be the first time Demme has addressed the world of music. He has previously helmed a number of concert films and documentaries about legendary rockers, such as Storefront Hitchcock (1998) And Neil Young: Heart Of Gold (2006).