Bill Pohlad had a rough night. His restless 13-month-old son, Oliver, kept him and his wife, Michelle, up until all hours. Then he turned on the news Tuesday morning to find that "Brokeback Mountain" led the Oscars field.
"It made for a good morning," said Pohlad, the Minneapolis producer whose firm, River Road Entertainment, co-produced the film with Focus Features.
"Brokeback" earned nominations in eight categories, including best picture, director, actor, supporting actor and actress, and adapted screenplay.
Pohlad called his father, Carl, to share the news. The billionare banker and Twins owner had already heard, and his usual "healthily skeptical" attitude about the film world gave way to exhilaration, his son said.
"The way that the film has gotten into the culture, the awards and certainly the box-office success have been amazing," Pohlad said. "He was very excited and proud."
Pohlad said he plans to attend the Oscars March 5 in Los Angeles, but he's content to let his producing partners, James Schamus and Diana Ossana, take the stage and face the flashbulbs.
"I don't want to get caught up in that," he said. "Making great films really is what it's all about. You've got to keep a check on the rest of it and make sure it doesn't get out of hand. That's one of the reasons for staying living in Minneapolis. It gives you a good perspective."
Next up from Pohlad's company are Robert Altman's "A Prairie Home Companion"; "Fur," a fictionalized biography of photographer Diane Arbus starring Nicole Kidman, and Steven Soderberg's "Che," starring Benicio Del Toro as the Cuban revolutionary.
