Contra Zoom is a film based podcast going in depth about varying movie related subjects. Dakota Arsenault and guests go over both academic and the fun aspects of enjoying the film medium. Episodes feature lists, interviews and comparisons. Visit contrazoompod.com for more details!
Back on episode 254: Celebrating Filipino Cinema (https://contrazoompod.com/254-celebrating-filipino-cinema/), we looked at three Filipino films, both classic and new releases to celebrate Filipino American Heritage Month, and we are back with a second instalment to talk about three new films.
Leading the discussion is Paulo Bautista, host of the Oscars Death Race Podcast (https://open.spotify.com/show/1H4k4ojRI8gDdE0JANfvAV?si=71f9154797184c34). Also joining the show is Matt Sheardown, host of the Cinema on a Shelf (https://open.spotify.com/show/1pIj22LUdJsDrjdSNCi7Rv?si=a335cca354ec4241) and I Can’t Believe You Haven’t Seen (https://open.spotify.com/show/3GsDBa2Vb2hraoiElaj296?si=4b00fc9cb5b94b8f) podcasts. Matt also talks about his time covering the Calgary International Film Festival.
The three films we focus on are Forgotten Island, Filipiñana and First Comes Love: Nakabingwit.
Read Paulo's review of First Comes Love: Nakabingwit (https://contrazoompod.com/reviews-first-comes-love-nakabingwit-from-viff-2026/).
Read Matt's review of Filipiñana (https://contrazoompod.com/reviews-filipinana-from-ciff-2026/).
Read other Filipino film reviews including The Missing (https://contrazoompod.com/reviews-the-missing-iti-mapukpukaw/) by Paulo and Zsazsa Zaturnnah (https://contrazoompod.com/reviews-zsazsa-zaturnnah-from-fantasia-festival-2026/) by Elysia Brenner.
Check out Paulo's Letterboxd list of Filipino / Filipino Diaspora Films 2025-2026 (https://letterboxd.com/ninjaboi/list/filipino-filipino-diaspora-films-2025-2026/).
Listen to Paulo on The Lorehound's podcast (https://open.spotify.com/episode/7yK0OClLZ729TZJ2CSqsxH?si=8jqmIT9PReC_uLuwP2zMuA) reviewing Forgotten Island.
Read Matt's CIFF reviews including The Debut (https://contrazoompod.com/reviews-the-debut-from-ciff-2026/), Minotaur (https://contrazoompod.com/reviews-minotaur-from-ciff-2026/), The Stunt Driver (https://contrazoompod.com/reviews-the-stunt-driver-from-ciff-2026/) and more!
Follow Paulo on Twitter (https://twitter.com/NinjaboiMedia) and Letterboxd (https://letterboxd.com/ninjaboi/).
Follow Matt on Instagram Cinema on a Shelf (https://www.instagram.com/cinemaonashelf/) and I Can't Believe You Haven't Seen (https://www.instagram.com/icantbelieveyouhaventseen/). Follow Matt on Letterboxd (https://letterboxd.com/matty236/).
Follow Contra Zoom on (https://twitter.com/ContraZoomPod) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/contrazoompod), Threads (https://www.threads.net/@contrazoompod) and Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/contrazoompod.bsky.social).
Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf (https://thatshelf.com/)!
Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor (https://anchor.fm/contrazoompod), Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/contra-zoom-pod/id1464447718), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/0rdhbCzOpccrSUJG7taoYn?si=aedc5683dc854a60), (https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL2xpdmVpbmxpbWJvLmxpYnN5bi5jb20vcnNz) Overcast (https://overcast.fm/login), (https://radiopublic.com/contra-zoom-pod-GmkjV2)Breaker (https://www.breaker.audio/contra-zoom-pod) and more!
Please rate and review (https://ratethispodcast.com/czp) the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more information, visit contrazoompod.com (https://contrazoompod.com/).
Create your podcast (https://zencastr.com/?via=dakota) today! #madeonzencastr
12 Oct 2026
346: 2026 VIFF Wrap Up
The 45th edition of the Vancouver International Film Festival ran from October 1st to the 11th and we talk about some of our favourite films that played. Joining the show is Darren Zakus, lead reviewer from Movie Scene Canada (https://www.moviescenecanada.com/) and Todd Pengelly, critic at For Reel (https://thisisforreel.com/).
We talk about La Bola Negra, Freaks Part 2, The Debut (https://contrazoompod.com/reviews-the-debut-from-ciff-2026/), Wild Horse Nine, Behemoth! and Paper Tiger.
Read Dakota's review of Yellow Letters (https://contrazoompod.com/reviews-yellow-letters-from-viff-2026/) from VIFF.
Follow Darren Zakus on Twitter (https://x.com/dmoviereviews) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/darrenmoviereviews/?hl=en).
Follow Todd on Twitter (https://twitter.com/Todd_Complex) and Letterboxd (https://letterboxd.com/todd_complex/).
Follow Contra Zoom on (https://twitter.com/ContraZoomPod) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/contrazoompod), Threads (https://www.threads.net/@contrazoompod) and Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/contrazoompod.bsky.social).
Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf (https://thatshelf.com/)!
Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor (https://anchor.fm/contrazoompod), Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/contra-zoom-pod/id1464447718), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/0rdhbCzOpccrSUJG7taoYn?si=aedc5683dc854a60), (https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL2xpdmVpbmxpbWJvLmxpYnN5bi5jb20vcnNz) Overcast (https://overcast.fm/login), (https://radiopublic.com/contra-zoom-pod-GmkjV2)Breaker (https://www.breaker.audio/contra-zoom-pod) and more!
Please rate and review (https://ratethispodcast.com/czp) the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more information, visit contrazoompod.com (https://contrazoompod.com/).
Create your podcast (https://zencastr.com/?via=dakota) today! #madeonzencastr
28 Sept 2026
345: 2026 TIFF Wrap Up
The 51st edition of the Toronto International Film Festival ran from September 10-20th and we look at the award winners (https://tiff.net/press/news/tiff-announces-2026-award-winners) and discuss some of our favourite films that played. Joining Dakota and Jeff is Thomas Stoneham-Judge, the owner of ForReel (https://thisisforreel.com/).
The trio look at the People's Choice Award winner La Bola Negra, the International PCA Elsinore, the Best Canadian Feature Film Sunburn and more.
Dakota's picks: Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney and Toy Gun Bandit
Jeff's picks: Angh (https://contrazoompod.com/reviews-angh-from-tiff-2026/) and Arrested Memory
Thomas' picks: Everybody Wants To F*ck Me and The Surgeon
Check out Jeff's interview with Matthew Rankin on episode 344: Interview With Matthew Rankin of Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney (https://open.spotify.com/episode/6zbJPRoKcluI6qYp6PrB8K?si=8bab3f12f57a465d).
Check out Contra Zoom's TIFF preview on episode 343: 2026 Toronto International Film Festival Preview (https://open.spotify.com/episode/64tqaRmyFhNCRoIFHmi4sM?si=731614c31a824af6).
Follow For Reel on Twitter (https://twitter.com/thisisforreel), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/thisisforreel) and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@thisisforreel). Follow Thomas on Twitter (https://twitter.com/beingTSJ) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/beingTSJ).
Follow Jeff's podcast Classic Movies Live on Twitter (https://twitter.com/ubcoCML) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/classicmovieslive/?hl=en). Listen to CML on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/3gy7EYnn7LORzZIgBOF7wG?si=3a2ca1bae9a94392).
Follow Contra Zoom on (https://twitter.com/ContraZoomPod) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/contrazoompod), Threads (https://www.threads.net/@contrazoompod) and Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/contrazoompod.bsky.social).
Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf (https://thatshelf.com/)!
Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor (https://anchor.fm/contrazoompod), Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/contra-zoom-pod/id1464447718), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/0rdhbCzOpccrSUJG7taoYn?si=aedc5683dc854a60), (https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL2xpdmVpbmxpbWJvLmxpYnN5bi5jb20vcnNz) Overcast (https://overcast.fm/login), (https://radiopublic.com/contra-zoom-pod-GmkjV2)Breaker (https://www.breaker.audio/contra-zoom-pod) and more!
Please rate and review (https://ratethispodcast.com/czp) the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more information, visit contrazoompod.com (https://contrazoompod.com/).
Create your podcast (https://zencastr.com/?via=dakota) today! #madeonzencastr
Who has been a guest on Contra Zoom Pod
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Bil Antoniou
Rachel Ho
Calum Macnab
Bryan Loomis
Brodie Cotnam
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
44,379
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.1 / 5
11 ratings
Spotify
4.9 / 5
17 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 78 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
93
Social presence
0
YouTube
76
Engagement
82
Contact Contra Zoom Pod
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about Contra Zoom Pod
Who hosts Contra Zoom Pod?
Dakota host the show. Published by Dakota Arsenault.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Contra Zoom Pod take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
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