It's good vs. evil, angels vs. demons, boys vs. girls in the latest film by local indie director Jeff Katts.

"The Hidden Battle," in which a pair of guy-next-door angels battle a conniving duo of demonic divas for the immortal soul of one very messed-up Ross Dress For Less worker, gets a pair of one-night-only premiere screenings at 6:30 and 8:45 tonight at the Regal Dole Cannery Stadium 18 Theatres. Tickets are available at the door for $7.

Katts wrote the original story and co-wrote the screenplay with Eric Miyamoto. The film was shot from April through September of last year at various locations on O'ahu.

"It actually came from watching 'The Matrix' and 'Lord of the Rings,' " Katts said. "They're fantastical, and they're known for their special effects, but they also have a religious undertone to them. I wanted to do something similar, not so seriously about any particular denomination or belief, but in larger terms about good versus evil."

In "The Hidden Battle," the first in a planned trilogy, constantly thwarted demons Felucia (Kyra Poppler) and Trammel (Gretchen Nilsen) challenge angels Akriel (Tanner Henderson) and Baglis (Chad Burch) to a losers-go-home competition to see who can gain sway over poor, conflicted Sarah (Julia Gainey). There are rules, of course: no revealing their true identities, no hocus-pocus, and no intervention from the big boys above and below.

Alexander Jacob, who plays Sarah's boyfriend and would-be redeemer Micah, rounds out the cast with Fran Rose and Mary Ann Taheny.

Theatrical screenings for indie films, known as "four-walling," is common in other cities but relatively rare in Hawai'i. Katts figures it's worth the investment.

"I really wanted to do this," Katts said. "Screening it in its own venue, and not as part of a festival, will help it stand out."

Katts intends to put "The Hidden Battle" on the film festival circuit soon enough. For more information on the film, the trilogy, and future screenings, check out www.thehiddenbattle.com.

"LOST" ON THE BEACH

The "Lost" cast will turn out on the red carpet at Sunset on the Beach Sept. 30 in Waikiki for the special-to-O'ahu premiere of the hit show's third season. Stars appear beginning at 5:30 p.m., so fans should stake out positions early. "Lost" premieres on ABC Oct. 4.

EDGY LEE SPEAKS

Can we get James Lipton in here, please? On second thought, no need. When Edgy Lee has the floor, there's little need for prompting or mediation.

Lee, the veteran documentarian, shared ideas about the relationship between art and sustainability this month at "The Sustainable Mind," part of the Halekulani hotel's new masterworks series. Speaking to a sell-out crowd of just more than 50, Lee showed clips from three of her films: "Paniolo O Hawai'i — Cowboys of the Far West," "Waikiki — In the Wake of Dreams," and "The Hawaiians — Reflecting Spirit."

"We have to pay attention to older cultures to keep connected and to recognize signs of nature," she said. "The same is true of spirit, not just the spirit of the individual, but of local communities and global communities. If one goes down, we all go down."

Lee said people sometimes limit their idea of sustainability to native culture or natural resources, "but it's really about all of us, and art is part of the equation."

TAGAWA ON THE GO

If Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa's usual seat at Abbe Brewster Caffe has been getting cold recently, there's good reason: The itinerant actor has completed four films this year — with No. 5 set to begin.

To recap: Tagawa was in Kazakhstan this spring to film "Blizhniy Boy: The Ultimate Fighter." He then joined Christopher Walken, Jason Scott Lee and others for the comedy film "Balls of Fury" in June and July before moving on to the martial-arts indie "Duel of Legends" and the Russian-produced "By the Will of Genghis Khan" last month.

This week, Tagawa begins work on "Julianna and the Medicine Fish," a family film starring Rob Schneider, in Winnipeg, Canada.

"It's a different kind of film for Rob," Tagawa said. "It's more of a family film than a comedy."

Tagawa's most recent visit home was spent making appearances at the Honolulu Quarterback Club, the Alder Street Detention Center, even a Kapi'olani Community College English class. That's pretty moderate for the chronically overscheduled Tagawa. "When I'm home, I just like to spend time with my wife and daughter," he said.

Reach Michael Tsai at mtsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.