Balabin, Sonia

[Johan Melle]

Sonia Balabin in "La dolce vita" (1960)

Sonia Balabin

Alias: Nadia Balabine

Sonia Balabin is a generica who was active from at least the mid 1940s and until the start of the 1970s, appearing in everything from Totò comedies to Hollywood movies shot in Italy, and at least five Fellini films.
Apparently, her only credited role was in the fotoromanzo "Anime senza luce", published in the magazine Tipo in 1951.

Filmography

1944

1. Sorelle Materassi .... Tavern customer (uncredited)
   
   1945
2. La freccia nel fianco .... Audience member at the concert (uncredited)
3. Lo sbaglio di essere vivo .... Hotel guest (uncredited)
4. Quartieri alti .... Woman at tavern (uncredited)
   
   1948
5. Il barone Carlo Mazza .... Audience member at the performance (uncredited)
6. Follie per l'opera .... Opera fan at the airport (uncredited)
   
   1949
7. Fabiola .... Woman at the trial (uncredited)
   
   1950
8. Luci del varietà .... Nightclub customer (uncredited)
9. Totò cerca moglie .... Guest at the embassy party (uncredited)
   
   1951
10. Amor non ho! Però, però... .... Nightclub customer (uncredited)
11. Cameriera bella presenza offresi... .... Wedding guest (uncredited)
12. Domani è un altro giorno .... Party guest (uncredited)
13. Mamma mia, che impressione! .... Spectator at the marathon (uncredited)
    
    1952
14. Chi è senza peccato... .... Christmas party guest (uncredited)
15. Il romanzo della mia vita .... Beauty institute client (uncredited) / Restaurant diner (uncredited)
16. Non è vero... ma ci credo! .... Party guest (uncredited)
17. Totò e le donne .... Café customer (uncredited)
    
    1953
18. Canzone appassionata .... Nightclub customer (uncredited)
19. Roman Holiday .... Woman of importance watching the military parade (uncredited)
    
    1954
20. Amori di mezzo secolo - segment "L'amore romantico" .... Guest at the new year's party (uncredited)
21. Carosello napoletano .... Street spectator (uncredited)
22. Casta diva .... Audience member at the opera (uncredited)
23. Papà Pacifico .... American tourist (uncredited)
24. Peccato che sia una canaglia .... Bus passenger (uncredited)
25. Scuola elementare .... Audience member at educational awards ceremony (uncredited)
26. Se vincessi cento milioni - segment "L'indossatrice" .... Woman at fashion show (uncredited)
27. The Barefoot Contessa .... Roulette player (uncredited)
    
    1955
28. I pappagalli .... Audience member at the concert (uncredited)
29. L'angelo bianco .... Train passenger (uncredited)
30. Lo scapolo .... Wedding guest (uncredited)
    
    1956
31. Helen of Troy .... Spectator at the fight (uncredited)
32. La fortuna di essere donna .... Woman at the Grand Hotel (uncredited)
33. Totò lascia o raddoppia? .... Audience member (uncredited)
34. Totò, Peppino e i fuorilegge .... Wedding guest (uncredited)
    
    1957
35. C'è un sentiero nel cielo .... Party guest (uncredited)
36. I colpevoli .... Audience member at violin concert (uncredited)
37. I vampiri .... Party guest (uncredited)
38. Il conte Max .... Passerby at Via Veneto (uncredited)
39. Kean: Genio e sregolatezza .... Audience member at the theater (uncredited)
40. Serenate per 16 bionde .... Audience member at music show (uncredited)
41. Seven Hills of Rome .... Woman at fashion show (uncredited)
42. Totò, Vittorio e la dottoressa .... Nightclub customer (uncredited)
    
    1958
43. Amore e chiacchiere .... Guest at Paseroni's house (uncredited)
44. Domenica è sempre domenica .... Party guest (uncredited)
45. Le bellissime gambe di Sabrina .... Spectator at the jewellery show (uncredited)
46. The Naked Maja .... Woman at the recital (uncredited)
47. Totò e Marcellino .... Wedding guest (uncredited)
    
    1959
48. The Nun's Story .... Nun (uncredited)
    
    1960
49. Apocalisse sul fiume giallo .... Gambler (uncredited)
50. Genitori in blue-jeans .... Woman at art gallery (uncredited)
51. Il vigile .... Party guest (uncredited)
52. La dolce vita .... Journalist at the press conference (uncredited)
53. Letto a tre piazze .... Wedding reception guest (uncredited)
54. Un maledetto imbroglio .... Woman at train station (uncredited)
55. Via Margutta .... Audience member at the nightclub (uncredited)
    
    1962
56. Boccaccio '70 - segment "Le tentazioni del dottor Antonio" .... Woman in church (uncredited)
    
    1963
57. 8½ .... Priest-teacher (uncredited)
58. La noia .... Party guest (uncredited)
59. Le monachine .... Audience member at presentation (uncredited)
60. Mondo cane 2 .... Audience member at dog fashion show (uncredited)
    
    1965
61. Gli amanti latini - segment "Il telefono consolatore" .... Woman at the meeting (uncredited)
62. Il compagno Don Camillo .... Audience member at the opera (uncredited)
    
    1966
63. Scusi, lei è favorevole o contrario? .... Party guest (uncredited)
    
    1967
64. Peggio per me... meglio per te .... Choir singer (uncredited)
    
    1968
65. Italian secret service .... Old woman on the plane (uncredited)
66. La pecora nera .... Party guest (uncredited)
    
    1969
67. Fellini Satyricon .... Old woman at the nymphomaniac's tent (uncredited)
    
    1970
68. The Adventurers .... Woman at fashion show (uncredited)

Fotoromanzi

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

[Johan Melle]

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

[Johan Melle]

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

[Johan Melle]

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

Images upgraded - Nick

[Johan Melle]

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)

Seen very briefly in the background and out of focus in Boccaccio '70 (1962) - segment "Le tentazioni del dottor Antonio" as Woman in church

And finally a bizarre role where she is made to play a male character: 8½ (1963) as Priest-teacher

[Johan Melle]

And finally some more 1960s roles:

Via Margutta (1960) as Audience member at the nightclub

La noia (1963) as Party guest

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

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

[Johan Melle]

Yet another Totò comedy: Totò e le donne (1952) as Café customer

[Ciavazzaro]

Great i was very curios to see her !

I know this face and i think i have more roles !!!

[Ciavazzaro]

And infact like i was telling you my first role for Sonia and the most recent so far
woman on the plane in Italian secret service (1968)

[Johan Melle]

Totò, Vittorio e la dottoressa (1957) as Nightclub customer