A new documentary about French magazine Charlie Hebdo which was attacked by jihadists this year has been snapped up by distributors at the Cannes Film Festival, according to Variety magazine on Wednesday.

"I Am Charlie" was made by father and son team Daniel and Emmanuel Leconte that had made an earlier documentary about the controversial Paris-based magazine, which lost eight members of staff when it was attacked by two gunmen in January.

The new documentary features interviews with the surviving members of the team and was described as a tribute to friends who "died for a certain idea of France", the film trade magazine reported.

The Lecontes had made an earlier documentary about Charlie Hebdo, chronicling its legal battles after the magazine published cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in 2007.

Paris-based Pyramide Films has secured the rights to distribute the documentary in France and sell it abroad, Variety said.

The company is aiming to roll the film out with premieres and festival appearances towards the end of the summer.