The IndieLisboa International Film Festival has officially announced the removal of two films connected to Portuguese filmmaker Ico Costa, following the publication of an open letter accusing him of committing verbal, physical, and psychological abuse against several women over the course of at least a decade.

The festival’s decision comes after Joana Sousa Silva, a 28-year-old illustrator and former film student, went public on social media with allegations that she was one of at least six victims of the director. According to her testimony, Sousa Silva had a relationship with Costa four years ago, during which she endured insults, physical assaults—including slaps and a blow to the abdomen—and psychological abuse. “When I decided to report him, I was afraid he would kill me,” she wrote, adding: “From my own experience, and after learning of similar cases, I believe the time has come to make public the history of gender-based violence committed by this serial abuser.”

In its statement, IndieLisboa expressed concern about the new accusations and emphasized the importance of acting with integrity and social responsibility: “We are deeply sensitive to reports of violence and aware that the social and legal context surrounding gender-based violence often re-victimizes those who come forward. In the face of persistent doubt, IndieLisboa believes that the voices of victims must be heard.”

For this reason, the festival—set to take place from May 1 to 11 in Lisbon—has decided to remove both Costa’s new film, Balane 3, and a work still in post-production in which he was involved as a producer.

The filmmaker, contacted by the Lusa news agency, denied the allegations, claiming the accusation is “false” and that he does not know the complainant: “That person does not exist. […] I am against any kind of cancellation, and victims must be real, which is not the case here.”

Since the publication of the open letter, the Instagram account +umcasting—a platform that shares cultural job opportunities and reports cases of abuse—has received further allegations describing similar behavior. According to the same source, Costa has since deleted his social media accounts. The Portuguese Directors Association, of which Costa is a member, has yet to issue an official statement.