Event Details
Join UPWIFT President, Sunny Edelman as she interviews acclaimed film and television costume designer, Amit Gajwani. This seminar will discuss the collaborative process, creative challenges and the specific craft of this unique kind of visual storytelling. Amit will also delve into the differences between designing costumes for independent films and big budget productions. During the conversation, Amit will share images from his extensive work in the profession. The seminar will be followed by an Audience Q&A. For anyone who has ever wondered how the costumes behind your favorite films and TV shows are crafted, this seminar is for you!
Guest
Amit Gajwani– Costume Designer
Amit Gajwani was born in Mumbai, India and at 12 years old moved to New York. The influence of both cultures inspired travel that has taken him around the world. He also discovered a love for historical fashion during his travels and the combination of these influences are evident throughout his designs.
He became established and well respected in the world of fashion print and advertisement campaigns for clients such as Jack Daniels, Microsoft, Franco Sarto, Ted Baker London, Maybelline, Ford Motors, and many more. Amit graduated with a psychology degree from Vassar College. His passion for psychology lends itself beautifully to character work within short format content and narrative feature films. He has worked with a wide range of talent such as Gabrielle Union, Lala Anthony, Chris Abbott, , Jim Belushi, Rachel Brosnahan, Macy Gray, Madeline Brewer and many other.
One of his features for Netflix, The Perfect Find won the Audience Award at the Tribeca Film Festival. One of his most current projects, I Live Here Now, directed Julie Pacino, has been touring the festivals around the world and will be released in theaters in February, 2026. Amit also costume designed the sold-out Off-Broadway run of the play, Phoenix, starring Julia Stiles.
His passion for films has led him to jump into production. His ability to work with all different clients, budgets and talent is an asset. He is currently working on narrative and a documentary about female boxers in Mexico.
Moderator
Sunny Edelman- UPWIFT Director
As a Classically trained actor, Sunny has directed and performed roles from Shakespeare to Clare Boothe Luce, working in regional, Off Broadway theaters, as well as in an Emmy winning television program and numerous Indie films. She received a B.A. in Theater Arts from S.U.N.Y New Paltz and studied with Iza Itkin, Robert Castle, Bob Luke and Peter Sklar. Sunny also took classes at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-Upon-Avon, England.
Sunny is an Associate Casting Director for Hudson Valley Casting and has worked on such films as “The Dead Don’t Die”, “I’m Thinking of Ending Things”, “What We Found” and “Driveways” to name a few.
She has worked with a number of film festivals, in a few different roles. She was the events coordinator for The Hudson Valley International Film Festival and The Catskills International Film Festival. Festival Director of the North By Northeast Film Festival and host at The New York State Film Festival. Ms. Edelman is both honored and excited to be working at the Lake Placid Film Festival.
A fierce advocate for women in film, Sunny is currently the President of Upstate NY Women in Film and Television.
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