She is known for films such as Aldri annet enn bråk (1954), Fjols til fjells (1957), and Ung flukt (The Wayward Girl, 1959).

The last film she directed, Ung flukt, introduced Liv Ullmann, Norway's most famous actor internationally, to the silver screen.

[1] Carlmar came from a poor family in the working class districts of East Oslo.

In the last part of her life she accepted only minor acting roles in plays and movies.

Carlmar's films often tackled such social issues as abortion, drug addiction, mental illness and out of wedlock births.