As the president of NKPR, Natasha Koifman’s busy season has official begun. With today’s start to the Toronto Film Festival, Koifman won’t get a break till it wraps up next week. Her company has set up the IT Lounge, where celebrities will get a taste of several new brands and products and where they will be able to assist in raising money for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Toronto.

NKPR is also handling Time magazine-sponsored after-parties for “Michael Clayton” starring George Clooney, “Trumbo” starring Michael Douglas and “Walk All Over Me” starring Leelee Sobieski. For some in the public relations business, all this can be overwhelming. But Koifman doesn’t freak out. With 12 years of festival experience, she’s an organized pro. Here are some her tips.

andPOP: How do you survive the film festival?

Koifman: You’re going on pure adrenaline most of the time. Also great skin products don’t hurt. Kiehl’s Eye Alert. Have to, have to, first thing in the morning. I live on that. Ultimately, it’s just being really organized and working with great people.

andPOP: How do you not stress out?

Koifman: I can never understand why people get mean during the festival when they’re stressed. I truly believe that you should treat people the way that you want to be treated. I love what I do and I’m very mindful of treating people the way I want to be treated. There’s a solution to everything so don’t get stressed out.

andPOP: What are you most looking forward to?

Koifman: One, I’m looking forward to seeing my husband at the end of every night because I don’t get to see him very much during the festival. And two, what I’m really excited about it to give these brands during the lounge an opportunity to make their debuts. I’m excited to get them into the hands of celebrities and bring attention to them. They’re wonderful products, like Moor Allure. This woman has this ingredient on her farm in Ontario. It’s a certain kind of peat. It has healing benefits for your skin. You’ll never meet a nicer woman. She’s so excited to be there and I’m excited to give her the opportunity to make her debut. And I rarely get star struck but I’m so excited to watch George Clooney walk down the red carpet at the Time event. There’s just something about George Clooney on the red carpet.

andPOP: What is the biggest misconception about a publicist?

Koifman: People think publicists go to a lot of parties and that we’re party planners but that’s not the case at all. I think there’s a bit of that misconception. When we do interviews with people out of school, they think we’re event planners but they don’t see the other side of it. What we try and do is create strategic plans for our clients to generate the results that they want.






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