British directors could still make a splash at Cannes, says festival director

Thierry Frémaux hints that Ben Wheatley’s High Rise and Terence Davies’ Sunset Song are still in the mix for the festival, which still has places to fill for the official selection

Book ahead, Australia: Dark Mofo, David Bowie Is and Byron Bay writers festival

In our weekly tout of the hottest shows just announced, book now to see the pop star’s archives, a vast Indigenous art exhibition and some rare Neil Finn shows

On my radar: Sam Lee’s cultural highlights

Musician Sam Lee on Robert Macfarlane’s books, Knockengorroch World Ceilidh and the most amazing vegetarian breakfast

Martin Scorsese may direct film of Kenneth Branagh’s Macbeth

Branagh reveals in radio interview that Scorsese will be invited to ‘do what he will’ with Shakespeare villainy based on acclaimed Manchester production

George RR Martin hints he might finish next Song of Ice and Fire book this year

Game of Thrones author announces that he will skip Comic-Con and World Fantasy Convention to write The Winds of Winter – unless he’s finished the sixth book in his fantasy series by then

The week in arts: International Women’s Day in talks, festivals and music

Dance, draw and talk: our pick of great events to celebrate the 40th anniversary of International Women’s Day

The week in arts: Adelaide festival, doggy movies, Kite String Tangle

Adelaide festival’s digital art gallery lights up, Kite String Tangle gets immersive and the truth is revealed in Perth in Ubu and the Truth Commission

At the Karachi literature festival, books really are a matter of life and death

In one of the world’s most dangerous cities, more than 100,000 people came together in a multilingual celebration of the written word

John Marsden is reminded of his reply to the fan letter I sent him when I was 14

The celebrated young adult novelist and author of The Rabbits – now an opera – meticulously sends a reply to just about every fan letter and Monica Tan has never forgotten hers

Trust me: you needn’t get your knickers in a twist over Fifty Shades of Grey

Does the Fifty Shades movie denigrate women? Not according to Leslie Felperin, the (female) critic of the Hollywood Reporter, who saw the film at its Berlin premiere: it’s just a bland, boring, softcore fantasy

VS Naipaul’s notorious conceit has drained away – and the man who remains is hard to read

Ian Jack: A writer’s personality can colour your sense of his work – but at a literary festival in India last week, the sad problem was almost the opposite

Sundance 2015 review: Brooklyn – a rose-tinted peek at what your granny went through

Saoirse Ronan is great as a plucky 1950s heroine, but this runs out of steam just short of the landing

Roger Wright: ‘Music should be a natural part of everyday life’

The arts interview: the chief executive of the Aldeburgh festival on Britten, Birtwistle and leaving Radio 3. By Nicholas Wroe

The 88 movies we’re most excited about in 2015

Think 2014 was a good year for film? Think again. This year is shaping up to be one of the classics. Here’s what’s on our radar

150 unmissable arts events for 2015: the biggest films, best TV, starriest theatre, thrilling art, essential sounds and more

Throw yourself into the new year with our bumper guide to the best of culture this spring