US independent distributor Wellspring has come on board JonathanCaouette's acclaimed docudrama Tarnation as co-producer and worldwide distributor.

Wellspring will provide completion financing and marketing fundsfor domestic and international release on the picture, which has secured aDirectors Fortnight slot in Cannes next month.

The company's worldwidesales division will begin marketing the picture at Cannes and a domestictheatrical release is planned for the fourth quarter with video and DVD tofollow.

Marie Therese Guirgis,Wellspring's head of acquisitions, and Ryan Werner, Wellspring's head oftheatrical distribution, negotiated the deal with Stephen Winter, BobbiThompson of Thompson Management and Peter Cross and Don Farber of Jacob,Medinger & Finnegan.

Produced by Winter (Chocolate Babies) with Gus Van Sant and John CameronMitchell (Hedwig And The Angry Inch) handling executive producer duties, Tarnation premiered at Sundance earlier this yearand represents the culmination of a 20-year labour of love by Caouette.

It was made entirely on a home computer for a budget of $218.32and recounts the director's life through a range of media including photos,home movies, video and audio diaries, phone messages and fragments of shortfilms.

"I feel like I'm in excellent hands with Wellspring," Caouettesaid in a statement. "They are a company that cares deeply about the healingpower of film and bringing personal artistic visions to audiences."