When the Shanghai International Film Festival arrives, the city comes alive far beyond the red carpet. 

It might start in a quiet longtang, a small alley in Shanghai's old residential district.

Under the laundry poles, neighbors chat. Around the corner, scallion pancakes sizzle in an old shop. Faded movie posters hang on the walls as people discuss what to watch this year.

The stories on screen come from around the world. The stories off screen live in Shanghai's winding lanes.

This June, step into the theaters and into the longtang. Between cinema lights and everyday life, discover the real Shanghai. 

(Photos via VCG)