A tearful Naomi Watts paid tribute to her former boyfriend Heath Ledger at a short film festival in their native Australia on Sunday.

Watts, who was a judge at the annual Tropfest event in Sydney, started crying when organisers honoured the late Ledger with a video montage of his career.

King Kong star Watts dated Ledger for two years after meeting him on the set of Ned Kelly in 2002.

The 28-year-old actor was found dead in his New York apartment last month. Toxicology results revealed he was killed by an accidental overdose of prescribed medications.