MIXED MATCH

The idea of mixed-race couples has long been controversial in America. In fact, interracial marriage was illegal in the U.S. until 1967. But times have changed. With the election of Barack Obama, the son of a mixed-race marriage, the stigma continued to recede. In 2012 the number of biracial couples hit an all-time high. However, there’s one area where this topic is still being dissected: medicine. In MIXED MATCH, director Jeff Chiba Stearns follows the stories of mixed-race cancer patients who are struggling to find bone marrow donors due to the complexity of their genetic makeup. Their unfortunate circumstances lead them to reflect on their multicultural identities. The film also spotlights Mixed Marrow, which is dedicated to registering multiethnic individuals to the donor registry. While they strongly believe race holds a critical role in finding matches, there are some who oppose their work, based on a disagreement over the concept of race itself. This eye-opening documentary sheds light on a topic that will become more and more important as America’s demographics continue to blend. —E.F.