The 'Waiting for the Barbarians' helmer is planning a legal action to clear his name in the wake of accusations that he harassed and sexually assaulted multiple women.
- Jun 27, 2020
AceShowbiz - Oscar-nominated director Ciro Guerra has vehemently denied "grave accusations" of sexual misconduct made by a group of anonymous women online.
The "Embrace of the Serpent" filmmaker found himself under scrutiny following the June 24, 2020 publication of an article on Volcanicas, an online Latin American feminist journal, in which seven females came forward with claims of harassment, while an eighth alleged Guerra had sexually assaulted her.
The reported victims were not named, but site editors explained a number of the women identified themselves as actresses in direct interviews while another is a costume designer.
None of the females pressed charges, but the incidents are said to have taken place between 2013 and 2019, in cities including New York, Berlin, Germany, and Cartagena, Bogota, and Medellin in his native Colombia.
However, Guerra has firmly refuted the allegations made against him and is planning to launch legal action to clear his name.
In a video message posted in Spanish online, Guerra said, "I want to state that the publication today of grave accusations in the online magazine Volcanicas... against me are completely false. I committed none of the falsehoods I am accused of."
"In view of the nature and gravity of those accusations, I don't have any other option but to pursue legal avenues to clear my name. I ask that you wait before passing judgment for justice to reveal the truth in this case."
He added, "I like to say I'm sorry to all the people who have been affected by this article and having to read these horrific and false words. I have the peace of knowing that I am innocent."
The scandal emerges weeks after Guerra's latest project, "Waiting for the Barbarians", starring Johnny Depp, Robert Pattinson, and Mark Rylance, was revealed to be skipping a theatrical release and heading straight for homes in August 2020.
