National Board of Review awards gala

Director Alexander Payne attends the National Board of Review awards gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012, in New York. Payne's "The Descendants," a warmly humorous film about a middle-aged Hawaiian balancing a new commitment to parenthood, earned the most awards Tuesday night, with three: Best actor to George Clooney, best supporting actress to Shailene Woodley and best adapted screenplay to Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash's script, taken from Kaui Hart Hemmings' novel.

The red-carpet gala
Special section: Awards season

Credit: AP Photo/Evan Agostini