The Spanish film director Pedro Almodovar could be prosecuted after the accusation by animal rights activists that he tortured the fighting bulls being used in Talk to Her, his new film about a female matador.

The Oscar-winning director filmed six bulls being fought and killed in the towns of Brihuega and Aranjuez, near Madrid.

Animal Amnesty, an animal rights group based in Madrid, has accused him and his production company of breaking animal cruelty laws, and urged the Madrid local authorities to charge him. He could face an administrative fine of up to 10,000,000 pesetas (£38,500) if found guilty.

Matilde Cubillo, a spokeswoman for Animal Amnesty, said: "We have denounced him for causing the suffering and death of four bulls purely in order to make his film."

Almodovar's production company, El Deseo, has vigorously denied the allegations. It said that the director, who won a best foreign film Oscar for his All About My Mother, had simply filmed some training sessions which would have been held anyway.

These sessions were fitted in to the filming schedule, although El Deseo is reported to have paid some of the costs.

Madrid officials said they doubted that Almodovar had broken the law.

But there is a global campaign against him by animal rights groups. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, an American group supported by the actress Penelope Cruz, said it would be pushing for the courts to impose the maximum penalty.