On April 26, after 1,000 CEOs attended the screening of ‘Dia Dao’, business leaders and young attendees joined a special discussion with Nguyen Thanh Nam, the film’s investor and former CEO of FPT Corporation, to discuss “Dia Dao: Corporate Culture and the Spirit of Overcoming Adversity in Business”.

Directed by Bui Thac Chuyen, the blockbuster Dia Dao brought turnover of VND127 billion just after 10 days of screening, outpacing other recent releases. In its second week, it continued to dominate the box office, and earned over VND27 billion just within three weekend days in mid-April, bringing total revenue to VND127 billion at that time. 

This helped make Dia Dao the highest-grossing Vietnam war film ever. With a production cost of VND55 billion, the revenue of VND127 billion was high enough for producers to reach the break-even point, after deducting half the revenue paid to theatres.

At the event, Nam said he has received frequent questions about the film’s break-even point and revenue. However, he stressed that the film’s success transcends financial metrics.

“If we calculated production costs by Hollywood’s professional standards, the film might have cost $100 million. But, in reality, my investment was a small fraction compared to the immense effort contributed by many. Renowned actors accepted lower-than-usual fees, and everyone united for a shared spirit,” Nam said.

He emphasized that Dia Dao’s greatest value lies in the voluntary contributions and unity of the entire production team. “Breaking even here means that the film touches the audience’s emotions, evoking empathy and reflection. If you find the film compelling, we consider it a break-even,” Nam.

In addition to stories about filmmaking, Nam shared practical business insights, noting that the “people’s war” spirit, marked by resilience, tenacity and creativity in tough conditions, can be applied to modern enterprises.

In Dia Dao, where guerrilla fighters faced strong enemies with tanks and planes, the lesson is to find a way to win in any circumstance. He recalled 2000, when his firm introduced Vietnamese software to the US market. At that moment, Vietnam was known only through war. 

“We believed if our ancestors achieved miracles, we had no reason to give up,” he said. 

Acknowledging that many quit, Nam stressed perseverance as key. “To apply the people’s war spirit, businesses must create their own ‘battle.’ They need an ‘enemy’, which is a competitor or a challenging goal, to fuel motivation and drive to overcome.”

To young CEOs, he advised: “First, make others believe in you. You must offer real value for people to follow you, not just to follow you blindly.”

Hanh Nguyen