April X Wins Best Thriller

"April X" is a dystopian cyberpunk thriller that was filmed in Romania. The plot follows Bax (Connor Storrie) as he navigates a bleak, post-Soviet cityscape in search of his missing twin sister, April (Lilly Krug). The film explores themes of identity, memory, and survival in a world of organ harvesting and societal decay. The film's lead, Connor Storrie, has been gaining significant recognition for his role as Ilya Rozanov in the television series "Heated Rivalry." His background includes training in gymnastics and improvisational comedy with The Groundlings. Lilly Krug, who plays April, is a German actress who has previously appeared in films such as "Plane" (2023) and "Shattered" (2022). "April X" has had a strong showing on the festival circuit leading up to its win at the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival. It premiered at the 43rd Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival in August 2025. The film also picked up the Best Sci-Fi Feature award at the Atlanta Sci-Fi Film Festival. The Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival, where "April X" won Best Thriller, has a history of showcasing independent films alongside major award-winning productions. The festival is known for its red carpet premieres and has honored cinema icons such as Peter O'Toole and Warren Beatty in the past.