Synopsis

A gripping documentary about survival, science and the thin line between life and death. When musician Frankie Lane collapses from a sudden heart attack during a holiday in Cork, his wife Anita faces every family's worst nightmare, coping with such an acute emergency in an unfamiliar setting. Against staggering odds, paramedic Pat McCarthy and his crew, successfully resuscitate Frankie using the combined skilled techniques of CPR and a defibrillator. As it currently stands in Ireland (2025) cardiac arrest events count for 93% of fatalities for victims outside of the hospital environment. This a the story of the 7% who make it and the researchers fighting to change these odds. Counter Attack interweaves Frankie and Anita's emotional journey with the groundbreaking work by CÚRAM, Ireland's leading medical research centre. Through the lens of cardiovascular surgeon, Dr Niamh Hynes, the film explores cutting-edge innovations from the 3D printed heart tissues to AI designed stents that could transform how we treat cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the future. Yet at its core, this is a film about human connection: the paramedic who vanished after saving a life, the wife who refused to let grief win, and the researchers racing to turn miracles into medicine. A poignant blend of personal storytelling and scientific discovery. Counter Attack is a tribute to the unsung heroes of emergency medicine, the cutting-edge scientists and the patients and families everywhere. But at the very heart of it, it's an urgent call to recognise the silent symptoms of CVD before its too late.