The Institute is an animated documentary about the importance of biodiversity for the cultural identity and the economic independence of Latin America. It is based on a conversation with the leading biodiversity expert and transgender activist Brigitte Baptiste. She is the former head of "Instituto Humboldt” in Bogota, the world's first institute for biodiversity research. The film shows the connections between the historical research expeditions of Humboldt, Mutis and Caldas in South America with genetic research and contemporary biology in today’s Colombia. The long-awaited peace in the country has not only opened up unreachable territories for research, but also sparked a debate about how to deal with the country's biological heritage.