“I am the director of my own ‘institution’” depicts István’s transition to living independently with the support of people he trusts, and free legal support provided by Validity. The film shows the legal and social barriers István faced to gaining true independence, including the threat of being placed under guardianship and our legal steps to ensure he retained his right to legal capacity. It also describes Validity’s work to undertake strategic litigation challenging largescale systems of institutionalisation and guardianship that affect millions of persons with disabilities around the world.