Mah-Jongg: The Tiles that Bind (1998)

• 79%
• 1998
• Documentary
• Bari Pearlman
• Phyllis Heller

Bam! Dot! Crack! The ancient game of Mah-Jongg has been played by the Chinese since the time of Confucius, yet is beloved by thousands of Jewish-American women. How did this happen? Mah-Jongg: The Tiles that Bind is a light-hearted yet deeply moving portrait of the Asian- and Jewish-American women who play this centuries-old game. It explores the shared experiences of the players and their families, and chronicles the very social aspect of the game - food, camaraderie, gossip, and most importantly, the life-long bonds that form between its players. Along the way, the game proves again and again to be a bridge connecting seemingly unlike individuals, spanning generations, continents and cultures. It features international best-selling authors Hope Edelman ("Motherless Daughters") and Denise Chong ("The Concubine's Children").