Richard Linklater’s 12-years-in-the-making “Boyhood” has been named best picture by the New York Film Critics Circle.

“Boyhood” also won best director for Linklater and best supporting actress for Patricia Arquette in the awards announced Monday. The strong support from one of the country’s top critics groups gives “Boyhood” an early boost in Hollywood’s lengthy awards season. The film, which had production stretch out over years to capture the passage of time, is considered an Oscar front-runner.

Best actor went to Timothy Spall for “Mr. Turner,” Mike Leigh’s biopic of the British painter J.M.W. Turner.

– From news service reports