While many of the women featured in this section are pulling talent from hotel to screening to junket to party, Leesa gets the fun job of gifting them with unbelievable swag. As the VP of Operations for Tastemakers, Leesa woos talent with a variety of goods. This year, celebrities will walk away with loot that includes a new pair of Wescan Optical frames, Joe Fresh Beauty, Mattel games, Damn Heel ballerina flats and cozy Bamjamz jammy-jams.

Being the founder of the F-list, TIFF outfits are a priority for Leesa but so is Booster Juce.  Despite being a pretty fun gig, running the Tastemaker Lounge still demands plenty of work and like the entirety of the festival, there are a lot of surprise rolls that  unfold, like sequestering a lusty Jeff Goldblum, 

How are you preparing for TIFF right now? GOING CRAZY with final preparations on designs and logistics for the Tastemakers Lounge, and trying to organize my daily TIFF outfits. I’ll plan in my head until about the day before when I literally tear my closet apart.

During TIFF, where would we most likely find you at 2PM? At 2AM?  At 2pm I’m probably enticing some celebrity with one of the many fabulous products we are featuring in our lounge.  At 2am, I’m surely fast asleep.  My rule during TIFF is NO LATE NIGHTS. I’m on Cinderella’s curfew.

What has been your most memorable TIFF party to date? Last year’s Holt Renfrew party at the Burroughs Building was pretty memorable. We skipped the 45 minute wait for the elevator and took the stairs in heels to the top floor where the party was – BAD IDEA –  then decided to hit the rooftop.  GOOD IDEA. No one at the packed party had realized the roof was open, so for the longest time it was this small group of Torontonians – and Coco Rocha – hanging out. Very chill with a great view. My kind of party!

What’s your celebrity story, or moment, that gets rehashed most at dinner parties?  Jeff Goldblum crashing our media day because he spotted our bikini model from out in the hallway. I love the guy, but it was one of those awkward moments of “I love this guy” mixed with “He is totally creeping out my model, I’m going to have ask him to leave.”  Luckily his handler came to the rescue. Guess that’s why they call them handlers. I still love you Jeff!

What are three things you need to survive during TIFF? Booster Juice power smoothies in the am, sleep in the pm, my sponsors — we’ve been so lucky with great people participating with us. They help keep me laughing in the lounge.

What film are you looking forward to most this year?  Thanks to my schedule I won’t likely get to see any films. But I love the buzz and always take note of what did well at TIFF for future watching.  I’m a huge film buff.

What party are you most excited about this year?  FT turning 25!  What can I say, I’m a fashion junkie.

If you could pick the brain of one filmmaker, who would it be?  Woody Allen. I read that he moved his film shoots to Europe because NYC got too expensive.  I’d talk him into filming his movies in Toronto. 

If you could grab a drink with one celeb who is attending TIFF this year, who would you choose?  Catherine Keener or Zach Galifianakis, either would be a HOOT to toss one – or many – back with!

What’s the first thing you’ll do once TIFF is over? Pick up Marlon Brando (my pooch) from the sitter, he stays with friends for the entire time I’m working during the festival.  Then I’ll revel in making a home-cooked dinner for me and my husband.