A Canadian film director has been imprisoned in Italy.

According to Italian news agencies citing local authorities, Oscar-winning Canadian director Paul Haggis was arrested in southern Italy on accusations of severe sexual assault.

According to the reports, the director and screenwriter was “seriously suspected of aggravated sexual assault and aggravated physical harm, crimes perpetrated to the prejudice of a young foreign woman,” according to a statement from Brindisi prosecutors.

Haggis has refuted the charges through his Italian lawyer, Michele Laforgia.

According to the agencies, citing Laforgia, he said, “Make inquiries as fast as possible, I am completely innocent.”

After-hours queries for more information were not returned by the prosecutor’s office or Laforgia on Sunday.

Haggis, 69, was set to headline the “Allora Fest” film festival, where he wrote and produced the Oscar-winning picture “Crash.”