Film director Fausto Brizzi is being investigated by magistrates on three counts of sexual violence, it has been reported.

Corriere della Sera reports that the Rome prosecutor’s office has formalised accusations against Brizzi, the writer-director best known for Itlaian box-office hits such as Forever Young and Guess Who’s Coming for Christmas? The possibility of a criminal prosecution looks remote as the claims fall outside Italy’s six-month statute of limitations for alleged sexual crimes.

Brizzi has denied all allegations, issuing an open letter saying he is “a human being deeply respectful of others” and that “there must be a distinction [between] violence [and] an unwelcome approach”.

Allegations against Brizzi first surfaced in November, after a the investigative TV show Le Lene reported that 10 women had made claims against Brizzi, many alleging he had attempted to pressurise them into sexual acts during auditions. Brizzi denied the allegations, saying that “never in my life have I had non-consensual or forced relations”.

Despite the accusations, distributor Warner Bros Italia went ahead with the release of his latest film, Poor But Very Rich, in December, although Brizzi’s name was removed from publicity. The controversy did not dent the film’s performance at the box office.

Numerous commentators have observed that the #MeToo movement has struggled to make headway in Italy, despite the creation of the equivalent hashtag #quellavoltache (“that time when”), which women have used to share their experiences. A number of prominent figures in the industry have been accused of sexual misconduct, while Asia Argento, one of the most high-profile figures in the Harvey Weinstein scandal, claimed she was forced to leave Italy in part due to insulting attacks from media figures.