ROME (Hollywood Reporter) - "A Single Man," the directorial debut of fashion designer Tom Ford, will head a record 14 films in the third edition of the Queer Lion awards at the Venice Film Festival.

Tom Ford - Photo: Ansa

The Queer Lion prize selects the best film with a gay plot or subplot screening at the festival or in one of its sidebars. Ford's story of an academic struggling with the loss of his partner is the only Queer Lion candidate that's also in the main 24-film lineup.

Other selections include "Io sono l'amore" (I Am Love), a drama from Luca Guadagnino screening in the Horizons sidebar; Stefani Consiglio's "L'amore e basta" (Love Is Enough) from the Venice Days sidebar; and Claudio Noce's "Good Morning Aman," from the Critics' Week sidebar.

Queer Lion organizers also announced the jury that will evaluate the 14 films in the running for the prize. It will be headed by film directors Gustav Hofer and Luca Ragazzi, with participation from journalist Mark Smith, film critic Roberto Schinardi and director Peter Marcias.

The sidebar will be held concurrently with the 66th edition of the Venice festival, which runs September 2-12. The winner will be announced on the fest's second-to-last day.

(By Eric J. Lyman. Editing by SheriLinden at Reuters)