FILMS AND FILMING

Aida
Italy - February, March

Ci troviamo in galleria
Italy - summer

La domenica della buona gente
Italy - summer

Un giorno in pretura
Italy - summer

Il paese dei campanelli
Italy - summer

Tempi nostri
Italy - fall

Miseria e nobiltà
Italy - fall

Carosello napoletano
Italy - fall

Due notti con Cleopatra
Italy - fall

Pellegrini d'amore
Italy - fall

MOVIE PREMIERES

ITALY
Quo Vadis?
  March 5
Africa sotto i mari
March 20
Aida
  October 23
Ci troviamo in galleria
  November 6

FRANCE
Il sogno di Zorro
Nice, February 18 (L'héritier de Zorro)
Io sono il capataz
Cannes, May 13 (Le retour de Pancho Villa)
Era lui... sì ! sì !
Nice, June 24 (Quelles drôles de nuits!)
Cuori sul mare
Paris, July 17 (Les mousquetaires de la mer)
La tratta delle bianche
Paris, July 24 (La traite des blanches)
Quo Vadis?
Paris, October 2 (Quo Vadis)

USA
Anna
New York City (New Yorker), February 18 (Anna)
La favorita
New York City (Verdi), October 6 (La favorita)

WEST GERMANY
Il sogno di Zorro
(Zorro, der Held)
Africa sotto i mari
December 11 (Weiße Frau in Afrika)

Necchi sewing machines
Most likely Sophia's first endorsement.

Chlorodont
Leading toothpaste brand in many European countries.

MAGAZINE COVERS

Italy

Epoca, Giramondo, Novellefilm, I Romanzi di Sogno, Serena, Sogno, Tempo, Visto

Sophia Is Engaged - September

As a cover for Sophia's very private relationship with Ponti, press agent Mario Natale matches up Sophia with another of his clients, Achille Togliani in the movie Il paese dei campanelli. Visto magazine reports on September 26 that both actors announced their engagement at a party in Sabaudia, near Rome.
Gina Lollobrigida has four films released in Italy in 1953, including La Provinciale, Beat the Devil (with Bogart) and Pane, amore e fantasia.

New Apartment
After filming Aida Sophia and her mother Romilda finally move in a larger apartment on Via Balsani in Rome.

Carlo Ponti
Although Sophia (or Romilda) refuses to sign a contract with Ponti-De Laurentiis Cinematografica, she becomes Ponti's protégée who says he will "take care of you in the film business" by accepting a monthly wage.

Sophia's New Image
"The most tangible sign of this complete transformation is a portrait which appeared on the cover of the periodical "Sogno" at the beginning of 1953, shortly before Africa under the Sea came out. For the last time the cover note bears the actress' old name, with pride and nostalgia: "Sofia Lazzaro, the unforgettable star of many of our fotoromanzi has been taken from us by the cinema: but Sofia has not forgotten the reader of 'Sogno' and affectionately gives them her regards and this reminder of her."
Stefano Masi, Sophia.

Maria Becomes Legitimate Daughter
Riccardo Scicolone, who has always refused to legally recognize Maria as her daughter, proposes her mother Romilda that he be paid in exchange for the legal document. Sophia then gives all her earnings from Aida
(1 million lire / $1,600) to her father for his consent to give his name to her sister Maria, which allows her to attend a public school in Italy.