Descending on Dubai

Hollywood heavyweight George Clooney did not come to attend the gala screening of his latest film, The Descendants, on the fourth day of the Dubai International Film Festival (Diff), but he was on everyone's minds.

American director Alexander Payne, who's known for his dark satirical dramas, and actress Shailene Woodley, who plays Clooney's daughter Alex in the film, spoke fondly about their interactions with Clooney.

"He's amazing and such a phenomenal actor. I have learnt so much from him. It's exciting to bring our film to this region," said Woodley as she walked the red carpet. Clad in a light purple Dolce & Gabbana dress and Rachel Zoe black pumps, she said that her film is a must-watch.

"It's raw, it's human and it's dysfunctional. So anybody who has gone through any bad in life will be able to relate to it," said Woodley.

Meanwhile, the award-winning director employed wry humour when asked the ubiquitous red carpet question: "What was it like to direct George Clooney?"

"What about him? He's OK," he shot back.

"Actually, I was surprised, he is a good actor. He was good at imitating me. I showed him how to act and he was good at imitating me," he quipped. The Descendants comes seven years after his Academy-Award winning film Sideways — he won the Oscar for screenwriting.

"What excites is the process of filmmaking. I love being on the sets and I don't worry about its end result. It's the process of making a movie that I enjoy. The Descendants has humour and sadness to it." said Payne. His love for his craft is highlighted when he says: "I never underestimate people. Cinema speak a universal language and I know it connects people."

The Descendants enjoyed its world premiere at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival.