Sonia Balabin

Post by **Johan Melle** » 24/03/2019, 3:22

Sonia Balabin in La dolce vita (1960)

Alias: Nadia Balabine

Sonia Balabin is a generica who was active in the 1950s and 60s, appearing in everything from Totò comedies to Hollywood movies shot in Italy, and at least four Fellini films.
Apparently, her only credited role was in the fotoromanzo "Anime senza luce", published in the magazine Tipo in 1951.

FILMOGRAPHY

1944

Sorelle Materassi (uncredited) .... Tavern customer

1945
La freccia nel fianco (uncredited) .... Audience member at the concert
Lo sbaglio di essere vivo (uncredited) .... Hotel guest
Quartieri alti (uncredited) .... Woman at tavern

1948
Il barone Carlo Mazza (uncredited) .... Audience member at the performance

1950
Totò cerca moglie (uncredited) .... Guest at the embassy party

1951
Amor non ho! Però, però... (uncredited) .... Nightclub customer
Cameriera bella presenza offresi... (uncredited) .... Wedding guest
Mamma mia, che impressione! (uncredited) .... Spectator at the marathon

1952
Chi è senza peccato... (uncredited) .... Christmas party guest
Il romanzo della mia vita (uncredited) .... Beauty institute client / Restaurant diner
Non è vero... ma ci credo! (uncredited) .... Party guest
Totò e le donne (uncredited) .... Café customer

1953
Canzone appassionata (uncredited) .... Nightclub customer

1954
Carosello napoletano (uncredited) .... Street spectator
Papà Pacifico (uncredited) .... American tourist
Peccato che sia una canaglia (uncredited) .... Bus passenger
Se vincessi cento milioni - segment "L'indossatrice" (uncredited) .... Woman at fashion show
The Barefoot Contessa (uncredited) .... Roulette player

1955
I pappagalli (uncredited) .... Audience member at the concert
L'angelo bianco (uncredited) .... Train passenger
Lo scapolo (uncredited) .... Wedding guest

1956
Helen of Troy (uncredited) .... Spectator at the fight
La fortuna di essere donna (uncredited) .... Woman at the Grand Hotel
Totò lascia o raddoppia? (uncredited) .... Audience member

1957
C'è un sentiero nel cielo (uncredited) .... Party guest
I colpevoli (uncredited) .... Audience member at violin concert
I vampiri (uncredited) .... Party guest
Il conte Max (uncredited) .... Passerby at Via Veneto
Kean: Genio e sregolatezza (uncredited) .... Audience member at the theater
Serenate per 16 bionde (uncredited) .... Audience member at music show
Seven Hills of Rome (uncredited) .... Woman at fashion show
Totò, Vittorio e la dottoressa (uncredited) .... Restaurant client

1958
Domenica è sempre domenica (uncredited) .... Party guest
The Naked Maja (uncredited) .... Woman at the recital
Totò e Marcellino (uncredited) .... Wedding guest

1960
Apocalisse sul fiume giallo (uncredited) .... Gambler
Il vigile (uncredited) .... Party guest
La dolce vita (uncredited) .... Journalist at the press conference
Letto a tre piazze (uncredited) .... Wedding reception guest
Un maledetto imbroglio (uncredited) .... Woman at train station
Via Margutta (uncredited) .... Audience member at the nightclub

1962
Boccaccio '70 - segment "Le tentazioni del dottor Antonio" (uncredited) .... Woman in church

1963
8½ (uncredited) .... Priest-teacher
La noia (uncredited) .... Party guest
Mondo cane 2 (uncredited) .... Audience member at dog fashion show

1965
Gli amanti latini - segment "Il telefono consolatore" (uncredited) .... Woman at the meeting

1966
Scusi, lei è favorevole o contrario? (uncredited) .... Party guest

1967
Peggio per me... meglio per te (uncredited) .... Choir singer

1968
Italian secret service (uncredited) .... Old woman on the plane
La pecora nera (uncredited) .... Party guest

1969
Fellini Satyricon (uncredited) .... Old woman at the nymphomaniac's tent

1970
The Adventurers (uncredited) .... Woman at fashion show

FOTOROMANZI

"Anime senza luce" (Published in Tipo from March to September 1951) - credited
"Eterna canzone" (Published in Sogno from October 1952 to February 1953)

Post by **Johan Melle** » 24/03/2019, 3:26

Apparently, Sonia's only credited role is in the fotoromanzo "Anime senza luce", published in 29 parts in the magazine Tipo from March to September 1951

Post by **Johan Melle** » 24/03/2019, 3:30

And now the movie roles, starting with one of her numerous films with Totò: Totò cerca moglie (1950) as Party guest

Peccato che sia una canaglia (1954) as Bus passenger

I pappagalli (1955) as Audience member at the concert

Totò lascia o raddoppia? (1956) as Audience member

Post by **Johan Melle** » 24/03/2019, 3:33

She also shows up in several Hollywood productions shot in Italy:

The Barefoot Contessa (1954) as Roulette player

Helen of Troy (1956) as Spectator at the fight

The Naked Maja (1958) as Woman at the recital

Post by **Johan Melle** » 24/03/2019, 3:37

Thanks to her characteristic face, Sonia was also cast in some of Fellini's most famous films:

La dolce vita (1960) as Journalist at the press conference

Although she is uncredited in the actual film, numerous film encyclopedias credit a Nadia Balabine as playing one of the journalists at the press conference. Here's the cast list printed in the book "I film di Federico Fellini" (1995)