Mario Kovač (born 1975 in Zagreb) is a Croatian theater and movie director. In 2002 he graduated from the theatrical direction department at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb. In 1995, he formed Schmrtz Teatar, an independent theater group of young people interested
in theater, modern primitivism, alternative lifestyles and subcultural activities as well as in
recycling the old ideas about modernity and the political influence of the theater. In less than
five years they have produced over 120 plays, performances, shows, concerts, happenings, installations or actions.

Radical actions were among the most noticed of their activities, including stealing books from bookshops to protest against the 22% VAT levy, exorcist action against evil demons in the building of the Croatian National Theater, the Millennium Marijuana March... In 2000 they drastically reduced their membership (down to nine people) and changed their name to Nova
Grupa, but their ideology of civil politics and independent ‘do it yourself’ lifestyle stays the same. This group is very well known in the circuit of student festivals and has performed at many of them across the world (most of Europe, Venezuela, Canada, Iran, Tunisia, and elsewhere) with productions: Philip Glass buys a piece of bread, Sun City, and Cockroaches.