Podtalk: Ashton Swinford on Film ‘Red Flag’ at Drive-In Midwest Film Festival, Aug 26, 2020

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CHICAGO – It’s a special day when a filmmaker has a world premieres of a new short work, and Ashton Swinford has picked The Midwest Film Festival (MFF) – on Wednesday, August 26th, 2020 – as the showcase for her directorial debut, “Red Flag.” The MMF is having their first event since the pandemic, and it will take place at Chicago’s new Drive-In on Throop Street, with the theme of Female Filmmakers Night. Get all the details, including ticket purchase, by clicking here.

“Red Flag” is a funny short film about dating … a topic familiar to virtually everyone. A first date turns into a farcical exchange about the relative incompatibility of a couple, although the woman in the pair seems to think it’s going well. No matter what negative element of the man’s personality emerges, the woman keeps accepting it, and the situation needs a referee. This is Ashton Swinford’s first film as a director.

Schedule of Events for The MFF Drive-In
Photo credit: MidwestFilm.com

Ms. Swinford is a veteran actor, writer, production coordinator, director and producer. A graduate of the Stella Adler Studio in New York City, she is SAG-AFTRA certified in both Los Angeles and Chicago. She has acted in “Chicago P.D.,” FOX-TV’s “New Girl” and indie films like “The Grandma” (available on Amazon Prime), as well as performing on stage in Bob Zmuda’s “The Tony Clifton Show” and as a producer with The Onion on “The AV Club Hosted by John Teti.” She is currently working on a media literacy series, “Miss Information.”

The Midwest Film Festival (formerly the Midwest Independent Film Festival) has been a staple in Chicago’s film community for 15 years. At the beginning of 2020, it reinvented itself with new Executive Director Erica Duffy (click here for an interview with ED), the new name and a new outlook. The Drive-In MFF event is their first since the re-launch in February.

Director Ashton Swinford (with Title Prop), and the Cast/Crew of ‘Red Flag’
Photo credit: AshtonSwinford.com

In a Podtalk with Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, Ashton Swinford talks about her debut as a director for her new film, “Red Flag,” and her journey as an actor and creator.

By PATRICK McDONALD Editor and Film Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com