Croatian director Dalibor Matanic admits to having committed several sexual assaults

One of Croatia's most famous directors, Dalibor Matanic, admitted in a long post on Facebook, after the publication of several press articles, to having sexually assaulted several women, triggering a thunderous reaction. “All of this took place at times when I was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Our job is terribly stressful - but that certainly doesn't justify my behavior,” Matanic, 49, wrote on Facebook, adding that he had decided to enter a drug treatment center. Croatian Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic announced that an investigation would be opened.

The director, awarded at Cannes in 2015 for his film “The High Sun” (Un Certain Regard jury prize), has often used his films to criticize patriarchal culture and violence against women. “It’s a terrible shock, because he presented himself as an ally,” reacted women’s rights activist Sanja Sarnavka.

Violence and sexual assault have long been considered taboo subjects in the Balkans, where patriarchal values ​​remain entrenched in parts of the region. However, these questions have taken on more importance in recent years after the advent of the movement