Comedian Russell Peters was the mystery DJ at George Stroumboulopoulos's TIFF bash. (Jennifer Hollett/CBC)

By Jennifer Hollett, CBC News

I think more people ask, "Been to any TIFF parties?" than "Seen any TIFF movies?"

No doubt Toronto's best parties, if not Canada's best parties, take place during the festival. Aside from the hundreds of celebs in town, and the hundreds of cocktails at every event, it's the competitive nature of the culture that keeps the parties a priority. Everyone is trying to throw the bash that everyone else is talking about.

When I ask CBC TIFF producer Alana Hurov which bashes are the big ones this year, she shows me a pile of paper. Nine pages of TIFF parties, and this is just until Tuesday night! But the biggest and best parties are the first and last weekend of the festival.


Nine pages of TIFF parties, and this is just until Tuesday. (Jennifer Hollett/CBC)

What is it about the parties that we're so obsessed with?

"It you want to be seen as someone who is cool, and gets into stuff, you're shoulder-to-shoulder with celebs," Alana says. And she even has a word for this, "scening."

It's true. Just last night I was dancing a couple of feet away from DJ Peaches Geldof at Canadian video game giant Ubisoft's Revenge of the Nerds themed event. I wanted to tell her I really enjoyed the music she played (from Get Into The Groove to Get Ur Freak On), but I knew I'd be bugging her.

Peaches Geldof and Ubisoft Toronto Managing Director Jade Raymond walk the blue carpet at Ubisoft Toronto's "Revenge of the Nerds" TIFF grand opening party. (Ubisoft)

For the celebs, it seems like a petting zoo. No wonder they only stay for 30 minutes, or hide in a dark corner of the club with their BlackBerry. I watched poor K'naan at the Hazelton Hotel politely smile and nod at every drunk fan who approached him, exclaiming "I love your song!" But for the rest of us, it's a platform. Be it a chance to smile at Juliette Lewis (can you blame me?) or the opportunity to network.

I had to check in with the National Post's Shinan Govani. As a social columnist, he's paid to write about parties. His tweets are a must-follow.

"What's really happening at these parties, if you look closely, is the age-old choreography of getting things down," Shinan emails me after what I assume was another late night for him.

He describes a TIFF ecosystem where even the celebs are schmoozing. "Whether it's filmmakers stealthily wooing actors for future projects, actors trying to build alliances with other actors to up their mojo in the celebrity food-chain, studios sniffing out talent, brands or restaurants trying to have their 'close-up' at a time when the whole world comes to Toronto, or even local socialites trying to position themselves, extend their own personal brands, see and be classically seen."

This is the Hollywood machine.

"When it comes to parties at the festival, it's as much about show as it is about business."

You can follow Jennifer throughout #TIFF10 on Twitter at @jenniferhollett