How does Rashomon show the same crime from different viewpoints?

In Kurosawa Akira's classic 1950 film Rashomon, the narrative structure centers on a single crime—a rape and a murder—that is recollected by four different individuals: a samurai, his wife, a bandit, and a woodcutter.1

The film depicts the same event through the distinct, conflicting perspectives of these four characters. By presenting these contradictory accounts of the same incident, Kurosawa moved beyond a simple retelling of a crime and used the medium of cinema to probe complex metaphysical questions regarding the nature of truth and human perception. This innovative approach captured the imagination of global audiences and established the film as a landmark in cinematic history.1