Plot Synopsis

Directed and produced by Jackie Jesko, SAVIOR COMPLEX is a three-episode documentary that chronicles the controversial story surrounding Renee Bach, a young American missionary who felt called by God to set up a charity for malnourished children in Jinja, Uganda. But years later, shocking allegations arose that Renee was treating the sick children herself, without medical qualifications. Detailing Renee's divisive journey, the series addresses the wider questions around "white saviorism" and the ethics of foreign aid work done in the name of humanitarian and religious ideals. At the age of 19, Renee, a Virginia homeschooled high school graduate and Evangelical missionary founded Serving His Children (SHC), an organization to help feed and care for malnourished children in Uganda. Amid whistleblower accusations that Renee was treating the sick children herself with no medical qualifications, a social media activist group called No White Saviors starts to draw public attention to the situation, calling Renee the "Angel of Death" and a "poster child for neocolonialism." With Renee denying the accusations and claiming that her work was guided by God and helped save hundreds of lives, SAVIOR COMPLEX takes a close look at the thorny complexities of missionary work when local facilities are underfunded, and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) fill the gap to provide resources in developing countries. With extraordinary access to Renee, her accusers, lawyers, activists, and mothers who seek to hold her accountable, the series addresses the timely and provocative issues at the intersection of religion, race, and power. The series features intimate access to Renee Bach and her mother Lauri Bach, the U.S. Director of SHC, as well as the activists, lawyers, and whistleblowers seeking to hold her accountable. Interview subjects include Olivia Alaso and Kelsey Nielsen, the founders of No White Saviors; Constance Alonyo, SHC's head nurse; Jackie Kramlich, a SHC volunteer-turned-whistleblower; Dr. Abner Tagoola, Head of Pediatrics at Jinja Hospital; Primah Kwagala, a human rights attorney who led a civil suit against Renee; Kakai Annet and Gimbo Zubeda, the two mothers who sued Renee, claiming their children died at SHC.

All three episodes dropped on Max on Tuesday, September 26, 2023 at 9pm ET/PT at the same time the series makes its official debut on HBO, which aired the finale two episodes the next day from 9-11pm ET/PT:

"God Doesn't Call the Qualified, He Qualifies the Called" (Dropped on MAX on Tuesday, September 26, 2023 at 9pm; Premiered on HBO on Tuesday, September 26, 2023 at 9pm): At 19 years old, Renee Bach felt God's call to serve as a missionary and moves to Jinja, Uganda to start a charity that addresses childhood malnutrition. She earns the support of local Ugandan officials and foreign donors alike. But when an American nurse comes to volunteer at the charity, she makes a shocking discovery and accuses Renee of treating these medically fragile children herself, with only a high school diploma to her name.

"Cast the First Stone" (Dropped on MAX on Tuesday, September 26, 2023 at 9pm; Premiered on HBO on Wednesday, September 27, 2023 at 9pm): The volunteer nurse makes a formal complaint to Renee's board about her concerns and resigns as donations to SHC hit an all-time high. While the charity expands and hires more staff, there are rumors that Renee is continuing to practice medicine herself. As a result, a disillusioned former missionary joins forces with a Ugandan activist to make sure the story of Renee's alleged "deadly white saviorism" is heard around the world.

"Reap What You Sow" (Dropped on MAX on Tuesday, September 26, 2023 at 9pm; Premiered on HBO on Wednesday, September 27, 2023 at 10pm): Renee is back in the United States facing a lawsuit brought by a Ugandan human rights attorney on behalf of two bereaved mothers. While she fights against the accusations in the lawsuit, the social media movement against her escalates and Renee must reckon with her choices and questions her faith and desire to serve.