NEW YORK — The National Board of Review has named “Zero Dark Thirty,” Kathryn Bigelow’s Osama bin Laden docudrama, as the best film of the year.

It is the second group to cite “Zero Dark Thirty” as the best of 2012, following the New York Film Critics Circle last week. The two early awards suggest Bigelow’s film may be the front-runner for this year’s Oscar nominations.

The film took three awards from the National Board of Review, which also named Bigelow best director and the film’s star, Jessica Chastain, as best actress.

The group also gave a boost to “Silver Linings Playbook,” naming its star, Bradley Cooper, best actor, and giving best adapted screenplay honors to David O. Russell.

The awards will be handed out at a gala on Jan. 8 in New York.

AP