Sonia Balabin

[Johan Melle]

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

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1945

1. La freccia nel fianco (uncredited) .... Audience member at the concert
2. Quartieri alti (uncredited) .... Woman at tavern
   
   1948
3. Il barone Carlo Mazza (uncredited) .... Audience member at the performance
   
   1950
4. Totò cerca moglie (uncredited) .... Guest at the embassy party
   
   1951
5. Cameriera bella presenza offresi... (uncredited) .... Wedding guest
   
   1952
6. Il romanzo della mia vita (uncredited) .... Beauty institute client / Restaurant diner
7. Totò e le donne (uncredited) .... Café customer
   
   1953
8. Canzone appassionata (uncredited) .... Nightclub customer
   
   1954
9. Papà Pacifico (uncredited) .... American tourist
10. Peccato che sia una canaglia (uncredited) .... Bus passenger
11. The Barefoot Contessa (uncredited) .... Roulette player
    
    1955
12. I pappagalli (uncredited) .... Audience member at the concert
13. L'angelo bianco (uncredited) .... Train passenger
14. Lo scapolo (uncredited) .... Wedding guest
    
    1956
15. Helen of Troy (uncredited) .... Spectator at the fight
16. La fortuna di essere donna (uncredited) .... Woman at the Grand Hotel
17. Totò lascia o raddoppia? (uncredited) .... Audience member
    
    1957
18. C'è un sentiero nel cielo (uncredited) .... Party guest
19. I colpevoli (uncredited) .... Audience member at violin concert
20. I vampiri (uncredited) .... Party guest
21. Kean: Genio e sregolatezza (uncredited) .... Audience member at the theater
22. Serenate per 16 bionde (uncredited) .... Audience member at music show
23. Seven Hills of Rome (uncredited) .... Woman at fashion show
24. Totò, Vittorio e la dottoressa (uncredited) .... Restaurant client
    
    1958
25. Domenica è sempre domenica (uncredited) .... Party guest
26. The Naked Maja (uncredited) .... Woman at the recital
27. Totò e Marcellino (uncredited) .... Wedding guest
    
    1960
28. Il vigile (uncredited) .... Party guest
29. La dolce vita (uncredited) .... Journalist at the press conference
30. Letto a tre piazze (uncredited) .... Wedding reception guest
31. Via Margutta (uncredited) .... Audience member at the nightclub
    
    1962
32. Boccaccio '70 - segment "Le tentazioni del dottor Antonio" (uncredited) .... Woman in church
    
    1963
33. 8½ (uncredited) .... Priest-teacher
34. La noia (uncredited) .... Party guest
    
    1965
35. Gli amanti latini - segment "Il telefono consolatore" (uncredited) .... Woman at the meeting
    
    1966
36. Scusi, lei è favorevole o contrario? (uncredited) .... Party guest
    
    1967
37. Peggio per me... meglio per te (uncredited) .... Choir singer
    
    1968
38. Italian secret service (uncredited) .... Old woman on the plane
39. La pecora nera (uncredited) .... Party guest
    
    1969
40. Fellini Satyricon (uncredited) .... Old woman at the nymphomaniac's tent
    
    1970
41. The Adventurers (uncredited) .... Woman at fashion show

FOTOROMANZI

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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

[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

Bad shot because she's in movement but this is Sonia for sure on the left in La fortuna di essere donna (1956) as Woman at the Grand Hotel

[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 Restaurant client