The two female directors nominated, Valeria Golino with the French/Italian morality tale Miele, and Clio Barnard with UK social realist story The Selfish Giant, also represent a precedent in the 7-year-old event, a competition aimed at promoting European cultural and linguistic diversity.

The third entry, Broken Circle Breakdown, a Belgian story by Felix Van Groeningen, traces the origin of an ill-fated love between a bluegrass musician and his tattoo artist partner whose child now faces cancer. The bittersweet melodrama won the Berlinale audience award this year.

Gianni Pittella, vice president of the EP, and Committee on Culture and Creative Europe rapporteur Silvia Costa announced the news Tuesday at Venice Days press conference. Directors will attend the upcoming Venice fest, a parter in the LUX prize competition for the fourth time. The films will travel throughout the 28 EU member states from mid-October to December for the second edition of the LUX Film Days and will be subtitled in all 24 official languages of the EU.