'Heated Rivalry' star Connor Storrie's sci-fi thriller 'April X' to open Raindance Film Festival

Connor Storrie is continuing his breakout year with another major career milestone, as his upcoming sci-fi thriller April X has been selected to open the 2026 Raindance Film Festival in London. The film, which stars Storrie alongside Lilly Krug, will launch the festival on June 18.

Directed by Michel K Parandi, April X is described as a psychological near-future thriller centred on twin siblings Bax and April. After April mysteriously disappears, Bax begins searching through a dystopian post-Soviet cityscape, a journey that gradually pushes him toward paranoia and psychological collapse.

The film has already generated growing industry attention ahead of its theatrical release later this year. Sunrise Films and Rialto Distribution recently acquired North American rights, with the movie expected to debut across more than 500 theaters in the United States and Canada in September 2026. International distribution deals have also been secured across Europe, Asia, Australia, and South Asia.

The Raindance selection marks another major moment for Storrie, whose profile exploded after starring as Ilya Rozanov in the hit queer hockey drama Heated Rivalry. The Canadian romance series became one of the breakout television successes of late 2025 and earned widespread acclaim for its performances, intimacy, and LGBTQ+ representation.

Storrie has since become one of the industry’s fastest-rising young actors, landing major film projects, a recent Met Gala debut, and growing awards-season buzz. In addition to April X, he is attached to the A24 comedy Peaked and the thriller Turpentine opposite Melissa McCarthy, while Heated Rivalry Season 2 is expected to begin filming later this year.

The 2026 Raindance Film Festival will close with a documentary about rock-and-roll icon Eddie Cochran, making April X one of the centrepiece titles of this year’s lineup.