Earlier this month, a simple, emotionally charged notification was posted on director Jia Zhangke's Sina Weibo social media account: "Tickets are now available. Thank you for the support!"

Perhaps only a limited number of individuals outside of the realm of die-hard cinema enthusiasts truly understood the heartfelt nature of this post.

Although he is one of the most recognized Chinese arthouse directors at international film festivals, merely 5.6 percent of all domestic screens showed Jia's latest film, Caught by the Tides, on its Friday debut. This screening percentage was much lower than that of a big-budget commercial blockbuster, which normally opens at around 30 percent, signaling the harsh situation for arthouse titles.

This film took the director and his team 22 years to shoot, and he planned to show it in theaters for just 22 days.

Despite the limited number of screenings, fans — currently nearly 19 million follow him on Sina Weibo — demonstrated their desire to support the 54-year-old auteur. One netizen responded to his post, saying, "I will watch the movie three times in the theater".

Jia's longevity has established him as an icon among the country's sixth-generation directors, and has shaped his values about life and society.