British director Michael Winterbottom has had to defend scenes of excessive violence against women in his latest film The Killer Inside Me after a screening at the Berlin film festival in which the audience booed and walked out.

The adaptation of a 1952 novel by Jim Thompson stars Casey Affleck as a deputy sheriff who almost bludgeons a prostitute (Jessica Alba) to death and at one point punches his girlfriend (Kate Hudson) repeatedly.Director Michael Winterbottom, at a press conference during the Berlin International Film Festival, defended his very violent film, saying he made it 'intentionally shocking.' (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

Thompson went on to write screenplays for filmmaker Stanley Kubrick.

The Killer Inside Me has many close-ups and sounds of bones cracking accompanied by operatic music.

"It was intentionally shocking," admitted the filmmaker after the movie's screening on Friday.

Winterbottom is an acclaimed filmmaker whose previous works include The Road to Guantanamo and In This World, which captured the festival's top honour in 2003.

"The whole point of the story is, here is someone who is supposed to be in love with two women who he beats to death, and of course the violence should be shocking. If you make a film where the violence is entertaining, I think that's very questionable."

The 48-year-old auteur, who is known for his political films such as A Mighty Heart starring Angelina Jolie, defended his film's style.

"I think it's important that the violence is ugly. No one can watch it and believe that [Affleck's character] is a role model or a glamorous guy you'd want to be like."

The plot surrounds Affleck's character, who hides a predilection for sado-masochistic sex and whose troubled childhood triggers a violent reaction to those he cares for.

Winterbottom says the novel made him think "about the way we behave."

"I wanted to make a film that was a very literal version of the book."