Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez at the Spring Breakers afterparty at Brassaii during TIFF 2012.

The Toronto International Film Festival is in full swing for 2012 and there’s still a bit of time left to get in on the festival action. Whether it’s trying to score an invite to an exclusive VIP TIFF party or stalking Ryan Gosling around town, we’ve put together a little tip sheet for you.

Dress the part
If there’s a smidgen of a chance that you can slink your way into a super hot party, dress the part. Which means leaving the sweatpants and running shoes at home. Grab your classiest cocktail dress and pair of fabulous shoes and you’re sure to blend right in.

Work your contacts
Know someone associated with a film or in the PR or marketing department? Ask if they need any last-minute help or volunteers for any of the events they may be hosting. Just make sure you do some actual work if they say yes.

Check Twitter
Yes, seriously. Many PR firms, producers, associations and even bloggers are contesting film screening passes and exclusive after-party access to help promote a film. Enter any contests that might give you access and follow the #TIFF12 hashtag for updates. If you do find out a party hashtag, follow along to see if they contest away any extra spots.

Know your celeb hot spots
If you can’t get into a party, hang out at a celeb hot spot – you never know who you might see or meet. Best bets include shops and trendy restaurants in neighbourhoods like Bloor-Yorkville, in the TIFF Lightbox restaurants (Luma or O&B Canteen), King West and Queen West. The closer to a screening venue, the better. If you want to watch the red carpet action, stake out a spot at Roy Thompson Hall – where the big galas are held.

Grab a drink
Check out a hotel bar and do a little people watching over a vodka soda or two. Many of the big TIFF parties and gifting lounges are held at The Ritz Carlton, Shangri-La, Trump Tower, The Drake Hotel, The Intercontinental and Hotel Le Germain. The parties may be private, but the hotel bar is usually open to the public – so you may catch Ryan Gosling dashing in and out. SoHo house is a new members-only club attached to the Shangri-La Hotel and also a really great evening stakeout spot for celeb watching.

Open events
Check your local event listings for a slew of TIFF-related parties, concerts and events that are open to the public. The L’Oreal Beauty Lounge is offering mini-manis and beauty tips in their two-storey tent in David Pecaut Square that is open to everyone. A lot of interactive exhibits have popped-up around Roy Thompson Hall too – it’s the perfect place to explore before or after a screening.

Rush tickets
Be spontaneous and see if you can score a last-minute seat for a TIFF movie. Pick a date, time and film and show-up to the theatre on the day-of at least an hour before the show. Stand in the rush line and see if you can score a seat from a no-show or cancellation. Tickets are $20 and are released 10 minutes before the start of a screening.

Have you been following the film festival?

Lisa Ng is the Editor-in-Chief of The Hip + Urban Girl’s Guide, a lifestyle website that blogs daily about food, travel, fashion and events. When she’s not chasing after the best taco or donut somewhere around the world, you can find her in Toronto sharing her finds online.

 

Image: Jerod Harris/Getty images