Bertukar Mimpi: A Short Film Screenplay Adapted from Eka Kurniawan's Short Story About Betrayal Trauma and Depression

Abstract

This creative work, a short film screenplay adapted from Eka Kurniawan’s (2017) short story Perempuan Patah Hati yang Kembali Menemukan Cinta Melalui Mimpi, explores the experience of profound betrayal and its destructive impact on an individual's life, the clinical escalation into major depression, and the psychological process of overcoming trauma toward social reconnection. These elements are elaborated through a short film screenplay grounded in Judith Herman’s (2015) theory of trauma and recovery, as well as the Social Simulation Theory proposed by Antti Revonsuo et al. (2015). The screenplay is also developed using the adaptation principles outlined by Edgar and Marland (2019) and Hutcheon (2012). The narrative centers on Maya, a severely depressed librarian mourning the destruction of her future due to interpersonal betrayal, who escapes to Pangandaran in search of a mysterious man from her recurring dreams. Her eventual encounter with a man, Rana, gradually enables her to accept her reality and cease her maladaptive escapism. This story illustrates that interpersonal betrayal can erode an individual's fundamental sense of safety, that dreams can serve as a biological defense mechanism to simulate social recovery, and that physical reconnection plays a crucial role in the healing process.