Possible Ideas to Fix

What I am still considering is filming some shots that highlight the difference between the character's background and the current place he lives in. For example, I have a vision of the character waking up at night to a thunder noise and having a flashback to him cowering at the sound of bomb explosions. I'm not sure if this is the message I want to convey, but it is pretty realistic to the Iraqi situation and helps establish that the character is, indeed, estranged and not completely familiar with the atmosphere around him.

Showing the character immediately adjusting to the environment and enjoying Miami might give off the wrong message, since I couldn't exactly get shots of the character being surprised. I tried to have my actor look astonished and murmur a "Wow!", but it honestly just sounds too cheesy and cliche. So, to fix this problem, I might shoot the scene that I have just described; yet, I am not sure if it will fit within the main trailer. Yet, since modern trailer have been becoming longer, I don't think it would be a huge obstacle if the trailer is around 3 minutes or a little bit less.

My problem with the scene is that I don't want to portray the character as generic or having the character only defined by the hardships of his life. The film is not just about the ban or the situation; it is about the character and his journey of voicing his opinion. It's about removing a misrepresentation and stereotype that people in third world countries have nothing to do except struggle and (be in a third world country.) People there, in fact, can be extremely intelligent and unique; like my character, who is fascinated with art and the skill of spreading collective purpose through art. It's a call for unification.

I have looked at some films that effectively make use of flashbacks. An article that his really helped me is on this link. One film that I have really enjoyed the flashbacks for include Big Fish (I have seen the trailer and how they incorporate the flashbacks). I am just unsure of whether this is something I want my film to be a part of. The flashbacks are not a recurring thing throughout, they are just there for a maximum of two times to narrate the difference and dislocation the character feels.