Michelle Williams impressed film fans by making a last minute appearance at the Cannes Film Festival on Thursday – treading her first red-carpet since the death of former partner Heath Ledger.

The star dazzled hordes of photographers as she made her way down the French festival’s red-carpet to promote her latest movie Wendy And Lucy.

Williams has kept a low profile since the tragic passing of Ledger – the father of William’s two-year-old daughter Matilda – who died from an accidental drugs overdose in his New York apartment earlier this year.

The former Dawson’s Creek star reached out the world’s media in the months after Ledger’s death, pleading for privacy for herself and her daughter, saying, “My heart is broken. Please respect our need to grieve privately.”

But the star decided it was time to return into the public spotlight, making a last minute long-haul flight from New York to attend the renowned festival.

A representative for Wendy And Lucy explains, “”It was decided on Monday night that she could come to Cannes, and she got on the next plane to arrive just in time to get dressed and come to our premiere.”

According the People.com, Williams will stay in Cannes to promote another project, Synecdoche, New York, before returning to the U.S. to continue shooting a Martin Scorcese movie.

Source WENN

PICTURES: Samantha Morton, Michelle Williams, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Catherine Keener at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival – Day 10 ‘Synecdoche, New York‘ Photocall.