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Oscar-winning Moonstruck screenwriter John Patrick Shanley has spoken out about the surprise of finding himself at the centre of a $5 million (£3.1 million) sex act lawsuit filed by an ex-lover.

Actress Amanda Jencsik, 26, claims the 61 year old forced her to engage in violent sexual acts, restricting her breathing and allegedly asking Jencsik if she felt as though she was being raped during intercourse.

In her suit, obtained by the New York Post, the actress also claims Shanley sodomised her on multiple occasions.

Shanley, who told the Post he was unaware of the lawsuit, released a statement on Friday, which read: "I dated Amanda Jencsik several times. Our relationship was totally consensual. It ended some time ago. We never exchanged a harsh word. I am distressed and surprised to see her being exploited this way. I wish her well."

As well as writing the screenplay for Cher's Moonstruck, Shanley also directed Meryl Streep and Amy Adams in the movie adaptation of his Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning play Doubt.

Oscar-winning screenwriter John Patrick Shanley ("Moonstruck") is accused of forcing actress Amanda Jencsik to engage in violent sexual acts, the New York Post reports.

According to the Post, Jencsik, 26, has filed a $5 million lawsuit against Shanley, 61.

Update:: In a statement to The Huffington Post via his attorney Peter Parcher, Shanley denied Jencsik's claims. “I dated Amanda Jencsik several times. Our relationship was totally consensual. It ended some time ago," he wrote. "We never exchanged a harsh word. I am distressed and surprised to see her being exploited this way. I wish her well.”

Per the Post, the suit claims that Shanley would restrict Jencisk's breathing with his hands during sexual intercourse. In at least one instance, he reportedly also tightened a belt around her neck. Shanley would allegedly ask Jencsik if she felt as though she was being raped throughout their encounters.

The relationship lasted four months. According to Jencsik's lawyer,...

The 11th annual Coney Island Film Festival, running Sept. 23-25, offers an exquisite blend of freak show, burlesque and cinematic oddities, featuring movies about reformed gang members, unwitting superheroes, rock ‘n’ roll heaven and tons and tons of short films.

The fest opens with the portrait of a real-life Coney Island badass, Keith Suber, a reformed gang member who now teaches kids that violence isn’t the solution to their problems in the documentary The Last Immortal, directed by Charles Denson.

However, the highlight of the festival — in Bad Lit: The Journal of Underground Film’s opinion — is the headbangin’ documentary Heavy Metal Picnic by Jeff Krulik and John Heyn, which beautifully relives the glory days of ’80s era rock ‘n’ roll Maryland in all its raucous glory. Featuring footage from an outrageous backwoods farm concert and a reunion among its (slightly) more mature participants. Read the official Bad Lit documentary review here.

Has it been a decade of films and freaks already? Well, it has! The 10th annual Coney Island Film Festival is set to run once again on Sept. 24-26 at the world famous Sideshows by the Seashore — the last operating circus-style sideshow/freak show in the U.S.A.

The festival starts with real bang this year with the Brooklyn premiere of Gary Beeber‘s latest documentary Dirty Martini and the New Burlesque, which chronicles the rise of the hot new burlesque trend in NYC and its most popular star, Dirty Martini. The film will also be preceded by two short films: The recently uncovered Museum of Wax by playwright Charles Ludlam and Jaye Cherian’s documentary Shape of the Shapeless.

This year the festival is also celebrating by hosting director Darren Aronofsky as their 2010 honoree. On Sept. 26, Aronofsky — who was born in South Brooklyn — will be present at a...