Allegations of sexual assault against an independent Spanish director are certain to cloud this Saturday's glamorous Goya film awards gala in Spain.

Actor Sigourney Weaver, who will receive an award during the ceremony, discussed the situation at a press conference on the eve of the event.

Director Pedro Almodovar and actor Penelope Cruz will present many honors at the presentation on Saturday night. The event takes place two weeks after three women came forward to El Pais, claiming they were sexually assaulted by filmmaker Carlos Vermut.

Since none of them have filed a police complaint out of concern for their employment, they have all requested to remain nameless. In a newspaper interview, the director refuted the accusations.

Additionally, Spain's Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun promised to establish a unit to address similar abuse charges inside the industry on the eve of the event in the northwest city of Valladolid. He acknowledged that it was "a very serious problem".

The Spanish Film Academy declared in advance of the event that it will combat such mistreatment in the business.

The academy, which oversees the awards, declared that "sexual violence and abuses of power have no place in the world of cinema or in Spanish society as a whole."

In a speech on Friday, Urtasun promised to "stand by women working in the sector" and establish a specialized section inside the ministry of culture to address accusations of gender-based violence.

"We have a serious problem with sexual assault and violence within the world of culture and we as institutions need to take action," he stated on La Sexta television.

The 43-year-old filmmaker, whose actual name is Carlos Lopez del Rey, is a rising star in Spain's independent film industry. His second movie, "Magical Girl," earned two top honors at the 2014 San Sebastian film festival.

According to El Pais, which cited the three women, the alleged attacks took place between May 2014 and February 2022. An outrage over the news was seen in a nation that has led the way in combating sexual assault.

One lady claimed she tried to stop Vermut both verbally and physically, but he immobilized her, choked her, and forced her to have intercourse.

An aspiring filmmaker told another that he tore off her bra and pounced at her to kiss her. The third reported that while she had gotten into a relationship with him voluntarily, he had forced her to have frightful, violent intercourse against her will.

Vermut stated he had not been "aware of having exercised sexual violence against any woman" throughout his three interviews with the publication.

"I have always practised rough sex in a consensual manner," he stated.

Many well-known actors have faced allegations of sexual assault since the #Metoo movement began to take off in 2017.

Hollywood icon Sigourney Weaver will walk the red carpet at this year's Goya awards event.

A lifetime achievement award will be given to the 74-year-old actor in recognition of his work in several movies, such as "Alien" and "Gorillas in the Mist".

At a news conference on Friday in the northern city of Valladolid, Weaver responded, "I'm very sorry to hear about this case, and my heart goes out to the women," in response to questions regarding the affair.

"It is women who speak up about this situation and abuses, that are making it safer for all women to work in this industry."

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