Balabin, Sonia

Post by **Johan Melle** » 24/03/2019, 4:22

Sonia Balabin in "La dolce vita" (1960)

Sonia Balabin

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 .... Tavern customer (uncredited)

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

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

1949
Fabiola .... Woman at the trial (uncredited)

1950
Luci del varietà .... Nightclub customer (uncredited)
Totò cerca moglie .... Guest at the embassy party (uncredited)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1958
Domenica è sempre domenica .... Party guest (uncredited)
Le bellissime gambe di Sabrina .... Spectator at the jewellery show (uncredited)
The Naked Maja .... Woman at the recital (uncredited)
Totò e Marcellino .... Wedding guest (uncredited)

1959
The Nun's Story .... Nun (uncredited)

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

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

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

1965
Gli amanti latini - segment "Il telefono consolatore" .... Woman at the meeting (uncredited)
Il compagno Don Camillo .... Audience member at the opera (uncredited)

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

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

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

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

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

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, 4:26

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, 4:30

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, 4:33

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

Images upgraded - Nick

Post by **Johan Melle** » 24/03/2019, 4:37

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)