A poster of Chinese thriller "Red Amnesia". [Photo: hefei.cc]

Chinese director Wang Xiaoshuai is appealing to moviegoers for support after his latest thriller "Red Amnesia" performed poorly at the box office.

Wang published a statement published on his Weibo account saying he believes he made a great film, but the severity of the reality and the tiny number screenings have gone beyond his imagination.

"Red Amnesia" only secured 1.3 percent of the country's 23,000 plus movie screens on its opening day, earning around $130,000 at the box office.

The film was rated an 8.1 out of 10 on Chinese film site Mtime.com, only slightly lower than "Furious 7," which just became China's highest-grossing movie of all time.

Wang's appeal has highlighted the predicament of art-house movies in China, which have been marginalized as cinemas are focusing more on blockbusters and 3D films.