Based on a true story,"Savage Messiah" is the depiction of a charming but diabolical cult leader, Roch Theriault (Luc Picard), who presides over a bizarre commune that includes his eight wives and 26 children. A small-town social worker (Polly Walker) visits the commune and on the surface everything seems fine, but her intuition senses desperation and sadness among the wives. Even though her department co-workers are indifferent, she investigates further and discovers a dead child, strange, ritualistic goings-on and shocking mental and physical abuse. With her job and life on the line, she is determined to free the members from Roch's tyranny. But she faces numerous abstacle. The major one is Roch's astonishing ability to manipulate people and the system, including the court appointed investigators.