Nearly a year after his death, Heath Ledger won a Best Actor Award in Australia for his role in The Dark Knight.

Ledger's father, Kim; mother, Sally and sister, Kate, tearfully accepted the Australian Film Institute's prestigious international award on his behalf.

"It's been without a doubt the most difficult year, losing such a loved family member," said Kate Ledger while struggling to keep from crying.

"We are so proud of him and humbly accept this award on behalf of his beautiful daughter, who we will cherish forever," she said, referencing Matilda, his 3-year-old child with Michelle Williams.

Look back at adorable photos of Heath and Matilda.

Ledger's performance as Joker in the Batman flick could earn him a posthumous Academy Award for best supporting actor, the Associated Press reported.

See photos of Heath through the years.

"It was this swaggering, psychopathic clown that turned his career into a legacy and the name Heath Ledger into an ongoing inspiration to actors everywhere," the Australian Film Institute said in a statement at the awards ceremony Saturday night in Melbourne.

Ledger's mom, Sally, thanked the institute for the tribute to her son, who died in NYC this past January of an accidental prescription drug overdose. He was 28.

See photos of stars gone too soon.

"We are immensely proud of him, not only for his professional achievements, but in the way he truly cherished his family, friends and his precious Matilda," Sally said.

"Heath was never one to accept mediocrity, he put his heart and soul into achieving what he believed was required and followed his passions with great enthusiasm and an insatiable curiosity," she added.