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Violet & Daisy, the first movie directed by Geoffrey Fletcher, who won an Oscar for his adaptation of the 2009 movie Precious, has been acquired for North American distribution by Cinedigm Entertainment.

Cinedigm is planning a theatrical release in 2013 followed by release on ancillary platforms including video on demand, digital and DVD.

Violet & Daisy, which Fletcher also wrote, is an action comedy about a pair of hit girls – played by Gilmore Girls’ Alexis Bledel and Irish actress Saoirse Ronan, an Oscar nominee for Atonement. The Sopranos star James Gandolfini plays a sad sack character who they are sent to kill.

The Hollywood Reporter, reviewing it out of the Toronto Film Festival where it premiered, described it as something “spun out of a Tarantino movie.”

“Geoffrey has once again created a uniquely profound coming-of-age story that effortlessly mixes gritty realism with pop culture fantasies,” said Vincent Scordino, vice president of acquisitions, theatrical for Cinedigm. “It’s a film that will inspire other artists, while satisfying audiences across the country via a variety of delivery platforms.”

“Cinedigm’s formidable team and innovative spirit are great for cinema and a perfect match for Violet & Daisy.” said Fletcher.

The filmmakers were represented by GreeneStreet Films and CAA, while Scordino negotiated on behalf of Cinedigm Entertainment, a division of Cinedigm Digital Corp.

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Having established herself as one of the leading dramatic actresses of her generation with turns in “Atonement” and “The Lovely Bones,” Saoirse Ronan is looking to try her hand at lighter fare, as she’s set to play the female lead in Wes Anderson’s next movie “The Grand Budapest Hotel.”

As Variety first reported, Ralph Fiennes will star in the period pic alongside Jude Law and Anderson regulars Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman, among others. While Anderson is fond of working with the same troupe of actors, he has actively recruited international thesps he’s never worked with before such as Fiennes, Law and now Irish thesp Ronan.

The director has said that the story, set 85 years ago in a Hungarian hotel, is partly inspired by the witty films of Billy Wilder and Ernst Lubitsch (“The Shop Around the Corner”).

Anderson is producing the Euro-set pic with his “Moonrise Kingdom” collaborators Scott Rudin and Steven Rales of Indian Paintbrush. Production is skedded to start early next year in Germany.

Ronan, who was nominated for an Oscar at the age of 13 for her supporting perf in “Atonement,” will next be seen in Andrew Niccol’s adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s bestselling novel “The Host,” which Open Road Films will release March 29. Thesp is attached to star in Working Title’s drama “Mary Queen of Scots” and most recently wrapped Kevin Macdonald’s “How I Live Now,” while Neil Jordan’s “Byzantium” and Geoffrey Fletcher’s “Violet & Daisy” are awaiting release.

Ronan is repped by CAA and Macfarlane Chard.

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