Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn’s ‘Only God Forgives’, starring Ryan Gosling, will be among 20 films competing for the prestigious Palme d’Or award at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.

‘Only God Forgives’ follows Julian (Gosling), the owner of a Bangkok-based boxing club that serves as a cover-up for drug trafficking operations. When his brother Billy (Tom Burke) is murdered, their mother (Kristin Scott Thomas) compels Julian to avenge his brother’s death.

This year will mark the second time that Refn and Gosling have appeared on the Cannes red carpet together – their thriller ‘Drive’ was also nominated for the Palme d’Or in 2011, and Refn secured the best director award for the film.

This year also marks the second year in a row that a Danish film has been nominated for the top award at Cannes, following the nomination of Thomas Vinterberg’s ‘Jagten’ (‘The Hunt’) in 2012. Denmark most recently took home a Palme d’Or in 2000 when Lars Von Trier’s ‘Dancer in the Dark’ won.

Vinterberg, who is no stranger to Cannes himself, will also be making an appearance at the festival next month, albeit not as a nominee. Vinterberg has been named to head the jury for Un Certain Regard, the second most important category of the festival, which recognises innovative and daring works in film. Prior to Vinterberg’s nod for ‘Jagten’, his international breakthrough ‘Festen’ (‘The Celebration’) secured the Jury Award at the 1998 festival.

The Cannes Film Festival will take place from May 15-26. ‘Only God Forgives’ premieres in Denmark on May 30.