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Ben Affleck's been a movie star long enough to fully understand movie premiere etiquette. For example, if he's somehow obligated to show his face at an opening because of unavoidable political reasons (i.e., his new Miramax boss's first film is screening), he knows that no one will even notice that he snuck out before the movie began if he leaves behind some photographic evidence of his presence:

"If they keep taking pictures of us together people will think that I'm actually in the movie," Ben Affleck told "Tsotsi" writer/director Gavin Hood and "Desperate Housewives" star Alfre Woodard while they posed at the film's premiere at the Pacific Design Center on Wednesday night.


Affleck, who dropped by because he's directing a film for "Tsotsi" distributor Miramax, didn't stay around to actually watch the intriguing South African Oscar nominee for best foreign language film. But after the snappy photo session, he promised Woodard and a rep from Artists for a New South Africa that he and wife Jennifer Garner would try to visit the country. Then he scooted down the escalator.

Affleck probably knew that he could get away with ditching the premiere and some vague promises about trying to visit South Africa ("we'll try" is Hollywood for "fuck you for putting me on the spot like that") with new Miramax head Daniel Battsek (pictured above at the photo op with Affleck). If this had been an event for the new Weinstein Company, however, Affleck would've not only stayed for the movie, he would've bought a ticket to South Africa on the spot, knowing that failure to play along would prompt Harvey Weinstein to mail him his wife's pinky toe in a ring box.